InterviewKorea leverages soft power to deepen ties with Africa

Kim Young-chae, president of the Korea-Africa Foundation / Courtesy of Korea-Africa Foundation

Korea’s soft power — embodied in its beauty and food products — stands as a vital bridge for deepening partnerships with African nations, says Kim Young-chae, president of the Korea-Africa Foundation.

"During my time working in African countries, I noticed that Korean beauty products and food have been selling increasingly well, alongside home electronics, automobiles and mobile phones — sectors where Korea has traditionally been strong," Kim said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.

Kim, who served as Korea’s ambassador to Libya and Nigeria and held postings in South Africa, noted that Korean cultural content is gaining traction across the continent.

"In Nigeria, for instance, at least one Korean drama or film often appears in Netflix’s Top 10 rankings,” he said. "Korean products like ramen and cosmetics are appearing more and more often in stores. These lifestyle products are helping to foster a more positive image of Korea among African consumers."

He noted that rising rice consumption in some African countries, driven by urbanization and globalization, presents new opportunities for Korean food exports, particularly in supplying high-quality rice varieties.

Kim took office as president of the foundation in September last year. Over a diplomatic career spanning more than three decades, he has visited nearly 30 of Africa’s 54 countries, gaining insight into the continent’s diverse cultures and varied paths of development.

He lamented that African nations are often negatively portrayed in Korean media.

"It’s unfortunate that Africa often receives negative coverage here, with stories focusing on conflict and poverty," he said. "But in reality, much of the continent is peaceful and progressing. Many African countries are striving for economic growth and national unity."

Participants enjoy the Korea-Africa Youth Forum in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, hosted by the Korea-Africa Foundation, Dec. 14, 2024. Courtesy of the Korea-Africa Foundation

Kim also emphasized that Africa’s potential should not be underestimated.

"With an average economic growth rate of around 4 percent and rapidly growing populations, the continent’s potential is enormous," he said. "Out of 193 U.N. member states, 54 are African — that’s more than 25 percent. This gives African nations considerable representation and influence in setting global agendas.”

He pointed to cultural exchanges as a cornerstone of Korea-Africa relations.

In that spirit, the Korea-Africa Foundation is hosting the seventh annual Africa Film Festival from Tuesday through June 15. What began as a small screening event in Seoul has now expanded to the cities of Busan and Jeonju, both known for hosting major international film festivals.

"The festival is free and open to everyone. Our goal is to attract as many viewers as possible to enjoy African cinema," Kim said. "We hope to gradually scale up the event into a major cultural festival that invites renowned African film directors and stars."

Beyond cultural ties, Kim said there is growing interest among African nations in Korea’s development model, particularly in areas such as the economy and policy planning.

"Many Africans are curious about how Korea progressed so quickly and successfully after the Korean War. They often cite our investments in education, human capital and the manufacturing sector as key reasons. These are areas where we can share our experiences."

Another area of interest, he added, is Korea’s social cohesion and sense of unity.

Participants of the Model African Union (AU) Assembly pose during the event at the National Assembly in Seoul, Nov. 15, 2024. The event aims to improve awareness of Africa among young Koreans, who gather to discuss various issues in an international conference format. Courtesy of Korea-Africa Foundation

"The ‘One Team, Team Korea’ spirit resonates with many Africans. They want to understand how we achieved such strong societal integration," Kim said. "Some have even discussed introducing military draft systems like Korea’s as a way to unite diverse ethnic groups through shared training experiences."

Kim noted that many young Africans are increasingly embracing startups and the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, highlighting another promising avenue for cooperation with Korea.

Looking back at the inaugural Korea-Africa Summit held in Seoul in June 2024, Kim stressed the importance of sustaining the momentum it created.

The summit brought together delegations from 48 African countries, including 25 heads of state, and marked a major milestone in Korea’s diplomatic engagement with Africa.

"The summit was more successful than anyone expected," he said. "Given that many African countries follow top-down decision-making structures, it was especially meaningful to host heads of state who could see the opportunities with Korea firsthand."

Banners for the inaugural Korea-Africa Summit are seen at KINTEX, Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, the venue for the summit, June 3, 2024. Yonhap

During the summit, Korea pledged to increase its official development assistance to African countries to $10 billion by 2030. The summit also saw the announcement of plans to establish high-level consultative bodies to monitor and support the implementation of summit commitments.

"While Korea has gone through some political ups and downs recently, our long-term partnerships with African nations remain strong," Kim said. "I always emphasize that cooperation with Africa should be based on mutual benefits, not a one-sided relationship."

For the remainder of his term, Kim said he will prioritize supporting Korean companies interested in exploring opportunities in Africa, while also promoting people-to-people exchanges.

"Our core mission is to strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, economic ties, and support academic research and publications," he said. "Africa should no longer be viewed merely as a recipient of aid. It is a strategic partner in building a more inclusive future."