Jaishankar calls for closer cooperation with South Korea at Jeju Forum

📌 Summary:

• At the Jeju Forum in South Korea on 25 June 2026, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India and South Korea "must cooperate more closely" in fields like ship-building, health, infrastructure and defence
• He called for "greater capacity and opportunities" for the Global South to create new factors of growth
• Without naming any country, he criticised the open prioritisation of "the interests of a few" nations
• The remarks came during a two-day visit to South Korea, the second leg of a tour after Mongolia

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 (IR) — India-South Korea strategic partnership, Global South diplomacy, and the diversification of India's partnerships in the Indo-Pacific.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• The Jeju Forum is an annual platform held on Jeju Island, South Korea, on peace and prosperity in Asia
• Identified cooperation areas: ship-building, health, infrastructure, defence
• Jaishankar's tour sequence: Mongolia, then South Korea

🔑 Key Term: Global South — broadly, the developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America; India increasingly positions itself as a voice and leader of the Global South.