Hyundai Kashmir post: S Korean FM calls Jaishankar, 'regrets offence'

The South Korean foreign minister on Tuesday 'regretted the offence' caused to the people and government of India by the social media post on the so-called Kashmir solidarity day by the Hyundai Pakistan, a day after New Delhi summoned the RoK envoy to express 'strong displeasure' over the 'unacceptable' post.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said South Korean envoy Chang Jae-bok was summoned on Monday and bluntly told that there could be no compromise on the matter that relates to the country's territorial integrity.

The Indian ambassador in Seoul also contacted the Hyundai headquarters and sought an explanation, he said.

A tweet by Hyundai Pakistan on the occasion of so-called Kashmir solidarity day triggered a massive row with some social media users in India even calling for boycotting cars manufactured by the company.

As the issue threatened to trigger a diplomatic discord, Bagchi said the East Asian nation's 'Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong called External Affairs Minister this morning. While they discussed several issues, the RoK Foreign Minister also conveyed that they regretted the offence caused to the people and Government of India by the social media post'.

Following his conversation with the South Korean foreign minister, Jaishankar tweeted: 'Received a call from ROK FM Chung Eui-yong today. Discussed bilateral and multilateral issues as also the Hyundai matter.'

In a tough message to Hyundai, Bagchi said India expected the company to take 'appropriate action' to 'properly' address the matter.

The MEA spokesperson said India welcomes investments by foreign companies in various sectors, but, it is also expected that such companies or their affiliates will refrain from 'false and misleading' comments on matters of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"We had seen a social media post on the so-called Kashmir solidarity day by Hyundai Pakistan. Immediately after this social media post on Sunday, our Ambassador in Seoul contacted the Hyundai Headquarters and sought an explanation," Bagchi said.

"The offending post has been removed subsequently. The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs yesterday. The strong displeasure of the Government on the unacceptable social media post by Hyundai Pakistan was conveyed to him," he said while responding to a media query on the issue.

"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.

Bagchi also referred to a statement issued by Hyundai Motors conveying its deep regret to the people of India and making it clear that it does not comment on political or religious issues.

In Parliament, Union minister Piyush Goyal said that the government has asked Hyundai Motors to be more forceful in its unequivocal apology over the matter.

"This issue has been taken up both with the government there and the company concerned," Goyal said.

"They (Hyundai) have already issued a clarification yesterday. We have also asked them to be more forceful in their unequivocal apology on this issue," he said.

Hyundai had issued a clarification after it faced calls for a boycott of its cars, but there have been demands for the company to apologise unequivocally.

In its statement, Hyundai said it 'does not comment on political or religious issues in any specific region'.

'Therefore, it is clearly against Hyundai Motor's policy that the independently-owned distributor in Pakistan made unauthorised Kashmir-related social media posts from their own accounts,' it said, adding it has ensured that the offensive tweets are deleted.