India summons South Korean envoy, lodges strong protest over Hyundai’s Kashmir fiasco

India on Tuesday summoned South Korean Ambassador Chang Jae-bok and lodged a strong protest over the controversial social media posts by Hyundai Pakistan on the so-called Kashmir Solidarity Day.

Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said it was highlighted to the envoy that the matter concerned India’s territorial integrity on which there could be “no compromise”.

Bagchi said immediately after the social media post on Sunday, the Indian Ambassador in Seoul contacted the Hyundai headquarters and sought an explanation. The Indian mission in Seoul also took up the issue with the South Korean government and conveyed a tough message, he added.

He said the ambassador of South Korea was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs on Monday. South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong expressed regret over the issue during a telephonic conversation with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar, according to Bagchi.

“The ambassador of the Republic of Korea was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs on February 7. The strong displeasure of the government on the unacceptable social media post by Hyundai Pakistan was conveyed to him,” Bagchi said.

“It was highlighted that this matter concerned India’s territorial integrity on which there could be no compromise. We expected the company to take appropriate action to properly address these issues,” he said.