Poonch (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 7 (ANI): Indian Army chief General Manoj Pande, visited the forward areas of Poonch and Rajouri Sectors, informed officials on Saturday.

During his visit, the Army chief reviewed the operational preparedness along the Line of Control.

"General Manoj Pande, COAS visited the forward areas of PoonchRajouri Sectors and reviewed the operational preparedness along Line of Control. COAS also interacted with all ranks and exhorted them to keep working with the same zealenthusiasm," said the Additional Directorate General of Public Information in a tweet.

Earlier on Thursday, General Pande held a video telephonic interaction with South Korean counterpart Jeong Hwan and discussed steps to enhance bilateral defence ties between the two countries.

"Chief of the Army Staff, General Manoj Pande had a video telephonic interaction with General Park, Jeong Hwan, Chief of Staff, the Republic of Korea Army and discussed steps to enhance bilateral defence ties between the two Nations," Indian Army tweeted.

The phone call came amid heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait after the brief trip of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taipei.

India and the Republic of Korea, as Special Strategic Partners, continued to have high-level engagements last year, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) annual report.

Former South Korea Defence Minister Suh Wook visited India in March 2021. During this visit, India-Korea Friendship Park in Delhi was inaugurated.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in December 1973, relations between India and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have been cordial.

India has been consistently supportive of efforts to bring about peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and diplomacy. (ANI)