Vivek Sharma
New Delhi: The 27th World Korea Forum 2026 concluded in New Delhi after two days of discussions covering Korea-India relations,the changing geopolitical order,the Indo-Pacific,the Korean Peninsula, international security, economic cooperation, diaspora, culture and future international cooperation.
Held on 19–20 August 2026 at Sir Shankar Lal Concert Hall, University of Delhi, the forum was organised by the Department of East Asian Studies, University of Delhi, in collaboration with the Korea Global Foundation.
The programme brought together professors, researchers, scholars and experts from India, South Korea, China, Russia, Italy, Spain, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and the United Kingdom, as listed in the programme.
The inaugural proceedings included remarks from Prof. Yogesh Singh, Vice Chancellor, University of Delhi, who raised possibilities for India-Korea cooperation in technology, education and research.
The points included possibilities such as joint programmes in technology, student semester exchanges, joint PhD supervision and joint research laboratories.
Reference was also made to an ecosystem involving universities, laboratories, industries, government policies, entrepreneurship and investment in research.
H.E. Lee Seong-ho, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India, addressed the forum on the longstanding Korea-India relationship and the expansion of cooperation across various fields.
His address also emphasised cooperation and solidarity among countries in responding to the changing international environment, along with the hope that the forum would contribute to stronger Korea-India cooperation, peace and prosperity.
The forum’s focus on the Korean Peninsula was also reflected in the remarks of Dr. Euy Don Park, President of the Southwest Asia Chapter Council, Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC), and Chair of the 2026 27th New Delhi World Korea Forum.
His message highlighted India’s role as a strategic partner in promoting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and across the wider Indo-Pacific region, with dialogue, mutual trust and cooperation identified as important foundations for lasting peace.
The welcome address by Prof. (Dr.) Ranjana Mukhopadhyayaya, Head of the Department of East Asian Studies, placed the forum in the context of rapid geopolitical, economic and technological changes in the Indo-Pacific.
Her address highlighted dialogue, academic cooperation and international collaboration in addressing regional and global challenges.
The message from Prof. Dr. Tshangchu Rhee, Executive Head of the Korea Global Foundation, highlighted the role of K-culture in promoting international interest and cooperation.
It also emphasised dialogue, exchange and cooperation for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula and identified the forum as a platform for discussions concerning peace and inter-Korean relations.
A substantial part of the programme examined the security environment in Northeast Asia.
Sessions addressed denuclearisation, nuclear self-reliance, inter-Korean relations, US-DPRK relations, North Korea’s relations with China and Russia, and India’s interests and strategic role on the Korean Peninsula.
The discussions on peace and reconciliation included the role of multilateral groups and the Global South, India’s perspective on Korean unification, economic engagement between the two Koreas, common security and prospects for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The international sessions examined the evolving international order, the role of great and middle powers in the Indo-Pacific, India’s and China’s perspectives on global changes, relations involving India, the European Union and emerging powers, and possible reforms to global governance mechanisms.
Economic cooperation featured discussions on economic security, fair trade, the political economy of BRICS and the Global South, Korea-India economic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific era, ASEAN political economy, and economic cooperation involving Russia and the DPRK.
The programme also covered the Korean community and diaspora, including its economic and cultural contributions in India, Korean diaspora literature, Indian diaspora and transnationalism, diasporic Koreans and their ethnic homeland, and Korean communities in Central Asia.
Cultural and intellectual sessions included Rabindranath Tagore, Indian philosophy, culture and civilisation, K-Culture, K-Philosophy, migration and South-South cooperation, and the Gandhi-Nehru political philosophy framework.
With its range of sessions on geopolitics, security, economy, diplomacy, culture and diaspora, the two-day forum provided a platform for discussions on Korea-India relations and wider international developments, while placing dialogue and cooperation among the central themes of the programme.
Email ID : reporter.cnpn@gmail.com
