The PM sought South Korea's support for India's quest to join international non-proliferation regimes such as the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Missile Technology Control Regime.
Around 60 heads of government and state are expected to attend the Nuclear Security Summit, which starts on Monday. The PM is likely to meet Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and his Norwegian and Italian counterparts on the sidelines of the summit.
The Norway custody row is likely to come up for discussion during the meet, as is the two Italian marines facing murder charges in Kerala and the issue of the abduction of an Italian national by Maoists in Odisha.
"I requested him for Korea's support to India's quest to join international regimes such as the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Missile Technology Control Group, the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement," said Singh at a press meet.
"I invited Korean firms to invest in India in a big way. Companies such as LG, Hyundai and Samsung are already household names in India. We would like to see small and medium sized Korean companies also making India a base for their manufacturing," he added.
Singh said, "We in India admire the Korean people. The public of Korea has one of the highest growth rate. It is due to the determination and spirit of Korean people. India too is one of the fastest growing economies of the world. Our half of the working population are in the age of 20's. The middle class is growing rapidly. We have very ambitious plans to build a strong infrastructure. We are planning to secure investments of almost 1 trillion dollars. I am aware of the Korean capabilities. I believe that India is stable and a long term investment opportunity. I urge Korean industry to have faith in India. It's a challenge as well as an opportunity," Singh said.
Singh added that the government was taking "proactive" steps improve the business climate and move forward with the Posco mega steel plant project in Orissa.
"Investment from Korea is a priority for India. We will take proactive steps to address investor grievances and improve the business climate in the country. Many states of our union have been actively encouraging foreign investment and we will support these efforts. I urge Korean industry to have faith in India," Manmohan Singh said in his address to South Korean CEOs during his two-day official visit to this country.
"I recognise that sometimes our processes can be slow but there are effective mechanisms for resolution of problems and differences and a strong rule of law. The government is keen to move forward with the Posco project and there is some progress in this regard. I believe that India is a stable and profitable long-term investment opportunity," he said.
The Posco steel project, India's largest foreign investment project estimated at $12 billion, has been hobbled for years by local protests against land acquisition of over 4,000 acres in Paradip in the eastern coastal state.
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