Jaishankar meets South Korea's National Security Director Wi Sung-lac in Seoul
Synopsis
EAM Jaishankar's Seoul visit packed two high-level meetings into a single day — with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and National Security Director Wi Sung-lac — covering the Indo-Pacific, defence, trade, and Middle East economic spillovers. With 'Korea Week' underway in India and a Jeju Forum keynote ahead, the visit signals a deliberate deepening of India's strategic bet on South Korea.
Key Takeaways
Jaishankar met South Korea's National Security Director Wi Sung-lac in Seoul on 24 June , exchanging Indo-Pacific strategic assessments.
Earlier the same day, Jaishankar held talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun , covering shipbuilding, defence, trade, technology, clean energy, and people-to-people ties.
Both sides reviewed follow-up progress on outcomes from President Lee Jae Myung's State visit to India in April last year .
India's Prime Minister's Office is hosting 'Korea Week' this week to address challenges faced by South Korean firms in India.
India and South Korea agreed to maintain close coordination on economic impacts from the evolving Middle East situation .
Jaishankar is scheduled to deliver a keynote at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity on Thursday .
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held talks with South Korea's National Security Director Wi Sung-lac in Seoul on Wednesday, 24 June, exchanging strategic assessments on global developments and the Indo-Pacific. The meeting came during Jaishankar's ongoing visit to South Korea, where he is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity on Thursday.
What Was Discussed
'Glad to meet Wi Sung-lac, Director of National Security of the ROK this evening. Had a useful exchange of strategic assessments on global developments and the Indo-Pacific,' Jaishankar posted on X.
The security-level dialogue followed an earlier bilateral meeting the same day between Jaishankar and his South Korean counterpart, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, also in Seoul. That discussion covered cooperation across shipbuilding, trade, investments, defence, technology, clean energy, culture, and people-to-people domains, as well as opportunities in startups, fintech, and multilateral fora.
Building on the Presidential Summit
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun noted that South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's State visit to India in April last year had provided the momentum to elevate South Korea–India ties to a new level. Both ministers assessed the progress made on follow-up measures in trade, investment, and finance agreed during that summit, and discussed ways to advance them further.
Cho Hyun also highlighted that India's Prime Minister's Office is hosting 'Korea Week' this week — fulfilling a commitment Prime Minister Narendra Modi made during the April summit to directly explore solutions to challenges faced by South Korean companies operating in India. Cho Hyun indicated that a reciprocal roundtable for Indian companies entering the Korean market would be held soon.
Regional and Global Dimensions
Beyond bilateral ties, the two ministers engaged in what Cho Hyun described as 'an in-depth discussion on the rapidly changing global situation.' Both countries agreed to maintain close communication on the economic ripple effects stemming from shifts in the Middle East situation. Cho Hyun noted that both ministers are scheduled to meet again at the Jeju Forum on Thursday.
Context: Jaishankar's Northeast Asia Tour
Jaishankar arrived in South Korea after concluding a two-day visit to Mongolia. His Seoul engagements — spanning the foreign minister, national security director, and a major multilateral forum — signal India's intent to deepen its strategic footprint in Northeast Asia. This comes amid a broader Indian foreign policy push to strengthen ties across the Indo-Pacific, with South Korea emerging as a key partner in defence manufacturing and technology.
Point of View
And Seoul wants market access and a hedge against supply-chain concentration. The agreement to coordinate on Middle East economic spillovers is the understated line worth watching — it hints at a bilateral economic security dialogue that goes well beyond the usual trade-and-investment framing.
NationPress
24 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did EAM Jaishankar visit South Korea?
Jaishankar visited South Korea to hold bilateral talks with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and National Security Director Wi Sung-lac, and to deliver a keynote address at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity on Thursday, 25 June.
What did Jaishankar and South Korea's National Security Director discuss?
Jaishankar and Wi Sung-lac exchanged strategic assessments on global developments and the Indo-Pacific during their meeting in Seoul on 24 June. Specific details beyond this were not disclosed publicly.
What is 'Korea Week' and why is India hosting it?
'Korea Week' is an event hosted by India's Prime Minister's Office to directly address challenges faced by South Korean companies operating in India. It fulfils a commitment Prime Minister Modi made during President Lee Jae Myung's State visit to India in April last year.
How have India–South Korea ties progressed since the presidential summit?
Since President Lee Jae Myung's State visit to India in April last year, both countries have made progress on trade, investment, and finance commitments made at the summit. The two foreign ministers reviewed this progress during their 24 June meeting in Seoul.
Where did Jaishankar travel before South Korea?
Jaishankar arrived in South Korea after concluding a two-day visit to Mongolia, making South Korea the second leg of his Northeast Asia tour.
