The president of South Korea will visit India and Vietnam to ensure the stability of fuel supply

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will visit India and Vietnam in the coming days. This move by Seoul aims to ensure stable fuel supply and alleviate the impact of the war in the Middle East.

South Korea's National Security Advisor, Pak Sung-lo, told reporters on Thursday (April 16th) that Lee Jae-myung will depart for India on Sunday for a three-day visit and will meet with Indian Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi.

AFP quoted Wei Shengluo as saying that the two leaders "are expected to reaffirm their commitment to maintaining close coordination in the energy supply chain in the current volatile international situation."

He also added that the talks would seek to enhance cooperation in strategic areas such as shipbuilding, artificial intelligence and defense, and would "lay the foundation" for doubling the bilateral trade volume to $50 billion by 2030.

Lee Jae-myung and Modi will also discuss "continuing to carry out constructive cooperation for peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the region".

Wei Shenglu disclosed that Lee Jae-myung will arrive in Hanoi on Tuesday and meet with Vietnamese leader Su Lin the next day. The two sides will discuss "how to take specific measures to strengthen strategic and mutually beneficial cooperation in the face of increasing global uncertainties."

The talks will focus on energy security, supply chain stability, cooperation on key minerals, and other areas.

Vietnam is South Korea's third-largest trading partner. The two countries aim to achieve a trade volume of 150 billion US dollars in goods and services annually within this decade.

Like many Asian economies, since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February, which led Tehran to actually close the crucial Strait of Hormuz, South Korea's energy supply has faced increasingly severe risks.

Seoul said on Wednesday that it will purchase over 27 million barrels of crude oil through routes that are not affected by the strait blockade, stating that this move will help stabilize domestic supply and demand.

The Yonhap News Agency of South Korea reported on Thursday, citing information from the South Korean Foreign Ministry, that senior officials from South Korea and China will hold economic talks next week, aiming to ensure that the trade environment remains stable despite the impact of the war.