Why South Koreans Visit Ayodhya Every Year: India and Korea Deep Connection Explored

The devotees of Lord Ram and the epic Ramayana transcends boundaries and is not limited to India or Bharat alone. The bhakts of Shri Ram are all over the world, but not limited to Indian citizens and the diaspora.

Lord Ram and the Ramayana resonate in East Asia and Southeast Asia as well. Of the East Asian countries like China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea and Taiwan, it is South Korea that has a deep connection with India and Hinduism.

Not only spiritually, but also as a cultural celebration. There is also a legend of a Hindu woman who went on to marry a Korean king and became his queen.

Ahead of the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22, let us know about the deep connection that the people of South Korea have with Lord Ram’s birthplace.

Hinduism in South Korea

The Indian religion of Hinduism has a minority religion status in South Korea. However, the people of the two countries have mutual respect for each other’s culture and celebrate it.

Did you know, South Koreans visit Ayodhya every year?

According to reports, several hundred South Koreans pay a visit to Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram, every year. The Koreans visit to pay homage to their Queen Heo Hwang-ok, who is also known as Princess Suriratna or Empress Boju.

Legend is that Princess Suriratna hailed from Ayodhya in present day Uttar Pradesh, India. She travelled to Korea and got married to King Kim Suro, thus attaining the title and name of Queen Heo Hwang-ok.

While some question the authenticity of the legend, the South Korean queen of Indian origin has a memorial in Ayodhya. It is reportedly located at Ram Katha Park near Sarayu River ghats.

Queen Heo Hwang-ok was first mentioned in Samguk Yusa, a 13th century Korean text. The queen was the wife of King Suro of Geumgwan Gaya, a ruling city-state during Three Kingdoms period in Korea.

Buddhism in South Korea

It is known that Buddhism originated in India after the enlightenment of Gautam Buddha led to a spiritual awakening and his growing followers. 

It is said that Mahayana Buddhism has been practiced in China since the first century CE. The practitioners of religion spread in China via Tibet and the Silk Route. In the third century, Buddhism spread to the Korean Peninsula during the Three Kingdoms Period, before being seen in Japan. Currently, the Republic of South Korea has about 10,000 active Buddhists.

India and South Korea Pact under PM Modi

Under the leadership of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, India and South Korea signed 11 agreements focussing on trade and business worth $50 billion by 2030. PM Modi underlined India’s commitment to deepening strategic cooperation between the two countries.