President Lee Jae-myung emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation with major countries to overcome geopolitical risks, including the Middle East crisis. He also expressed intent to join the India-led Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), signaling an expansion of multilateral diplomacy.
In a joint written interview with Indian dailies The Times of India and Navbharat Times, published Thursday local time ahead of his state visit to India, Lee said the recent Middle East crisis revealed "the strategic reality that no single nation can guarantee stability on its own." Lee said, "The Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean are connected as a single maritime route," adding that "despite its dynamic potential, the Indo-Pacific region has long remained a 'consumer' of the international order due to geopolitical conflicts and institutional gaps."
Lee particularly pointed to both countries' energy dependence issue. "Both Korea and India rely heavily on the Middle East for a significant portion of their energy supply, including crude oil and natural gas," Lee said. "Securing the safety of key transport routes is an essential element for the safety of both peoples and the survival of our nations." He added, "We will maintain close communication with India to ensure that all vessels can navigate the Strait of Hormuz safely and freely."
Lee also stressed the importance of forward-looking cooperation with regional partner countries amid expanding geopolitical and economic crises. As part of these efforts, he expressed intent to join India's IPOI. The IPOI is a cooperation initiative covering maritime security and marine ecology, among other areas, announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 2019 East Asia Summit (EAS) speech. Korea has been positively reviewing its participation.
"Peace and prosperity are essential to realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific," Lee said. "We will deepen cooperation with key partners, including India, in strategic sectors such as shipbuilding, finance, artificial intelligence (AI), and defense."
