By Lee Kap-soo

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was in New Delhi, India, for the G20 Summit, and First Lady Kim Keon-hee hosted a dinner meeting on September 8. The meeting was attended by more than 80 Korean compatriots who are actively engaged in activities across India.

In his encouraging remarks, the President said that India, as the world's fifth largest economy and largest population, is an important partner with which we must work together to build a free, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

The President praised the bold entry of Korean companies into India in the early years of India's economic opening in the 1990s, which has resulted in Samsung, LG, Hyundai, and Kia becoming beloved brands in India, and the recent expansion of Korean companies into the financial, defense, food, and apparel sectors.

The President emphasized that the Korea-India relationship has been able to develop thanks to the efforts of Korean compatriots who have pioneered the Indian market with our companies, adding that our compatriots in India and around the world are the main players in leading Korea in the world.

The President said that the Overseas Korean Affairs Office, which was launched in June, will become a hub for global business, providing on-the-spot services and listening to their concerns as they pursue their entrepreneurial endeavors in India.

In his toast, Octa New Delhi Branch President Lim Tae-hwan asked, "Which country has the largest population in the world?" The attendees answered "India" in unison, and when Lim asked again, "Which country will be the number one export market for Korea in the future?" the attendees answered "India" again.

The meeting featured a performance by 'Haeoreum', a group of 13 locals from India, from the Korean Cultural Center in India. After the performance, the President and his wife warmly encouraged the group and took a commemorative photo.