Mayor of Korean city Gimhae gifts Bodhi tree sapling to PM Modi

Mayor of Gimhae on Thursday, February 21, gifted a Bodhi tree sapling to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a mark of close ties between India and South Korea.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Raveesh Kumar took to Twitter, saying, “Mayor of #Gimhae Heo Seong gon called on PM @narendramodi in #Seoul. PM gifted a Bodhi tree sapling as a mark of close ties between our two countries.” “Gimhae and Ayodhya have sister-city relationship,” Kumar added.

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Prime Minister Modi reached Seoul early on Thursday morning on a two-day visit aimed at strengthening the special strategic partnership between South Korea and Indian and boosting bilateral trade and cultural ties.

This is the Prime Minister's second visit to the Republic of Korea after his state visit in May 2015.

Before embarking on the visit the Prime Minister described South Korea as a valued friend with which India shares special strategic partnership initiatives such as ‘Make in India’, ‘Start-Up India’ and ‘Clean India’.

The Indian Prime Minister, who is on a two-day visit , was speaking while unveiling a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the Yonsei University. On his second visit to the country as the Prime Minister, Modi will also pay a visit and his respects at the National Cemetery in Seoul.

He will then proceed to the Blue House which is the Korean Presidential Office where he will be given a ceremonial welcome, followed by Summit meetings with President Moon Jae-in of South Korea, who had visited India in July 2018.

In the afternoon at a brief ceremony, the Indian Prime Minister will be conferred with the Seoul Peace Prize, which was announced by the Seoul Peace Prize Cultural Foundation in October last year in recognition of his dedicated service to international cooperation, global growth, and human development.