South Korea and India have agreed to increase their cooperation in tourism and sports.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Do Jong-whan signed memorandums of understanding in New Delhi with his counterparts from India's Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on Monday (local time), the South Korean ministry said.

The MOU on tourism contain measures to promote cooperation among tourism officials and build exchange programs in the field of human resources development.

Under the second MOU, the two countries agreed to expand practical exchanges among sports coaches, athletes and experts.

"Diversifying the tourism market focusing on some countries and expanding the base of sports exchanges is the gist of the MOUs," Do told Yonhap News Agency after signing the accords. "This will become a chance to further relations between the two countries,"

On Tuesday, Do will join South Korean First Lady Kim Jung-sook during a groundbreaking ceremony for a park commemorating the legendary Indian-born wife of the king of an ancient Korean kingdom.

The park will be built in Ayodhya, a city located in northern India, to honor Indian princess Heo Hwang-ok, also known as Empress Heo, who married Kim Su-ro, the founding king of Korea's Gaya Kingdom, in the first century. (Yonhap)