President Moon Jae-in will make state visits to India and Singapore starting Sunday, Cheong Wa Dae announced Monday.

According to the presidential office, Moon will start the trip in India and then move on to Singapore. 

“President Moon will make a state visit to India from July 8 to 11 on invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and to Singapore from July 11 to 13 on invitation from President Halimah Yacob of Singapore,” Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said Monday.

Moon met with Modi on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in July 2017, and held a summit meeting with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in November.

According to Kim, Moon’s visit will bring the New Southern Policy, which aims to expand the country’s economic and political cooperation with countries to the south and southeast, into full swing.

“India’s economy is developing at the fastest pace and rising as a major power, and (it is) central to our government’s New Southern Policy,” Kim said.

“President Moon will meet with President Ram Nath Kovind and hold a summit with Prime Minister Modi, and discuss ways to strengthen strategic partnership and expand future-oriented cooperation.”

As for Moon’s Singapore itinerary, Kim said the South Korean leader will meet with both the Singaporean prime minister and the president to assess bilateral relations and discuss further cooperation.

Kim also revealed that Moon will speak to opinion leaders of Singapore to present his New Southern Policy and his vision for stronger cooperation between Korea and ASEAN nations.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)