New Delhi: Ushering in a new chapter in their bilateral relations, India and South Korea today (Oct 5, 2004) signed an extradition treaty and an accord on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters as they agreed to establish a long-term cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity.

The treaties were signed in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun by External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh and South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-Moon.

The Prime Minister and Roh held over 90-minute meeting covering a wide range of bilateral, multilateral and global issues during which they agreed to establish a long-term cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity which will seek to take advantage of economic complementarities and political convergences.

The two sides decided to step up defence cooperation in areas like anti-piracy and search and rescue operations. Consultations on expanding cooperation in the fight against international terrorism would be carried out through various bilateral and multilateral mechanisms. Under the Extradition Treaty, any offence committed inside or outside the territory of one party, and which is punishable at the time of the request, with imprisonment for a period of at least one year under the laws of both countries, would be an extraditable offence.