Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.
South African envoy, Korean biz leaders emphasize deeper ties at investment seminar
South African Ambassador to Korea Sindiswa Mququ speaks during the South Africa-Korea Trade & Investment Seminar in Seoul on Thursday. Korea Times photo by Kim Hyun-bin
By Kim Hyun-bin
South African Ambassador to Korea Sindiswa Mququ and Korean business leaders emphasized the need for more inclusive and strategic economic cooperation between Korea and Africa during the South Africa-Korea Trade & Investment Seminar in Seoul on Thursday, highlighting sustainability, infrastructure and investment as key pillars of the relationship.
Mququ praised the seminar as a critical venue for dialogue. “This seminar would not be a success without the participation of everyone here today. The Chair of the Chamber of Commerce in Korea, and every partner involved, contributed to this momentum.”
She also emphasized that Korea’s recognition of South Africa as a strategic partner following global sustainability discussions, such as COP28, shows "we are aligned on building partnerships that harness global capabilities to confront the enormous challenges our world is facing.”
Vice President of the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) Kim Gi-hyun underscored Korea’s growing institutional commitment to Africa. “Earlier this year, we launched the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation Committee to strengthen economic collaboration between the two regions,” Kim said. “KITA will serve as the Korean secretariat and expand its network with major economic organizations across Africa.”
Kim also announced a key milestone in bilateral relations. “We are planning to open a new KITA office in Johannesburg later this year to actively support Korean companies entering the African market.”
He highlighted the historical and economic significance of the Korea-South Africa relationship. “As many of you know, South Africa is a longtime friend of Korea, having sent troops during the Korean War in the 1950s,” Kim said. “Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1992, our two nations have built strong political, cultural and economic ties.”
South Africa’s status as a major trading partner was also highlighted.
“With abundant natural resources, South Africa is Africa’s largest industrial power, and our bilateral trade reached approximately $3.3 billion last year — making South Africa Korea’s third-largest trading partner on the continent,” Kim said.
He also pointed to South Africa’s logistical advantages.
“Thanks to its advanced financial and logistics infrastructure, South Africa serves as a key gateway for many global companies looking to expand into the African market.”
The seminar also featured key sessions, including a presentation on trade trends and successful market entry strategies by Sang Hyun Seo of the POSCO Research Institute, remarks by South Africa Chamber of Commerce Korea Chairman Timothy Dickens on leveraging the G20 for deeper cooperation and risk management and infrastructure strategies presented by senior executives from Absa Bank.