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Park Jae Kyung-Correspondent

In 1994, Zimbabwe and South Korea established formal relations. A year later, South Korea opened an embassy in Harare. It had taken 14 years for Zimbabwe to establish diplomatic relations with South Korea since its attainment of independence in 1980. 

Unlike many countries in the region and beyond, who established relations soon after Zimbabwe’s independence, it took much longer time for South Korea. 

The reason is related to the situation on the Korean Peninsula, which has been divided between the North and South. 

Zimbabwean Liberation war fighters maintained good relations with North Korea, even before its independence. 

The late former president, Robert Mugabe had closer ties with Kim Il-sung’s North Korea when he visited Pyongyang in the 1980s. 

However, since the mid-1990s, South Korea has been a credible and constructive partner of Zimbabwe. 

For the past three decades, Zimbabwe and South Korea have been maintaining a cordial relationship.

Zimbabwe’s engagement and re-engagement drive, underpinned by the sustained implementation of National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) has lots of potential to unlock more opportunities for our two countries.

The engagement and re-engagement efforts being undertaken by the Second Republic under President Mnangagwa have yielded positive and promising political and economic relations between Zimbabwe and South Korea.

 Korean dramas like ‘Jewel in the Palace’ and ‘Boys over Flowers’ and motor vehicle brands like Hyundai and KIA became popular, and electronic goods from Samsung and LG have become well-known household names in Zimbabwe.

At the same time, more and more Koreans are visiting the Victoria Falls. 

The number of tourists reached over 20 000 in the peak year of 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted air travel.  

Shona sculptures have become well-known and are now being cherished by many people in Korea. 

More recently, agricultural products like tobacco and reserves of critical minerals from Zimbabwe are also attracting the attention of Korean businesses.

However, considering the potential between the two countries, there is much more that can be improved in our bilateral relations, economic relations in particular. 

Trade volume has not increased significantly during the three decades. 

In 2017, the trade volume peaked at about US$40 million. 

When we think of the trade volume as a litmus test of the status of bilateral relations, the number is way below the potential of our two countries. 

More surprisingly, the volume of trade on average has remained the same for the entire period of 30 years. 

At the same time, direct investment from Korea remains only a few million US dollars. 

Senior Government officials have not exchanged visits often. 

Moreover, no leaders-level visits have been made yet from either side except in May 2010, by some senior Zimbabwe Government official.

Nonetheless, the two governments are now trying to create an environment that will be more conducive to strengthening economic cooperation. 

Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), an agreement for the promotion and protection of investments, entered into force in April 2021. 

Thus, Korean business people entering Zimbabwe are now treated as equally as Zimbabwean citizens for their investment activities and are guaranteed free transfer of investment assets and profits. 

Again, in 2023, ZimTrade and KOTRA —the trade and investment promotion agencies of the two countries signed an MOU to collaborate with each other to strengthen economic cooperation. 

Now, the year 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations and it provides momentum for both Zimbabwe and Korea to rethink about each other. 

My embassy, together with the Zimbabwean embassy to Korea, plans to implement various economic and cultural programs throughout the year to commemorate the anniversary. 

At the outset, in February, a logo for the commemoration was unveiled after a heated open contest in both countries. 

At the same time, a famous Zimbabwean mbira player, singer, and dancer, Hope Masike, was appointed as honorary ambassador. 

When I first met Masike, I was instantly amazed not only by her musical talents, but also at her mature and good human nature. I very much look forward to working with her to promote Zimbabwe-Korea relations. 

With this momentum, in June this year, the inaugural Africa-Korea Summit meeting is to be held in Seoul. Leaders from the African region and President Yoon Suk Yeol of Korea will discuss how to achieve a win-win economic cooperation at its core agenda. 

With the attendance of President Mnangagwa, the summit meeting will provide another momentum for the relationship between Zimbabwe and Korea as well as between pan-Africa and Korea. I do hope and look forward to witnessing the summit meeting in June.

Such opportunities tap into the potential of enhancing the bilateral relationship between our two countries to a higher level. 

The Korean Embassy will double down its efforts in promoting this, availing the momentum from this year. 

In doing so, the embassy will always be in close communication with citizens of all provinces in Zimbabwe. 

As ambassador, I also plan to make visits to every corner of the beautiful country Zimbabwe and meet as many people as possible. 

Dear students, farmers, miners and all the citizens in the country, I am very much looking forward to meeting you all. 

Park Jae Kyung is South Korea’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe