South Korea–Zambia relations
South Korea–Zambia relations refer to the bilateral relations between South Korea and Zambia. The two countries established diplomatic relations on 4 September 1990 and have since developed ties across various fields, including politics, economics, culture, and development.
History
South Korea and Zambia officially established diplomatic relations on 4 September 1990. Since then, the two countries have strengthened their ties through high-level exchanges. In October 2022, Special Envoy for Foreign Affairs Yeo Han-koo visited Zambia. In May 2023, Presidential Special Envoy Kim Byung-joon visited the country. In July of the same year, government representative Hong Jin-wook visited Zambia, followed by a visit to South Korea in August by Zambian minister of foreign affairs Stanley Kakubo. In October 2023, Presidential Special Envoy and Chairman Chey Tae-won visited Zambia.
The Zambian government has maintained a resident embassy in Seoul, South Korea, since 2014. The South Korean government opened a resident embassy in Lusaka, Zambia, shortly after establishing diplomatic relations in 1990, but it was closed in 1998 due to the impact of the IMF bailout program. After its closure, the South Korean Embassy in Kenya was concurrently accredited to Zambia, and it is currently handled by the South Korean Embassy in Zimbabwe.
Economy and trade
Economic relations between the two countries have been steadily expanding. As of 2022, bilateral trade totaled approximately US$96 million, with South Korea exporting US$14 million and importing US$82 million from Zambia. Zambia is a major global producer of copper, and South Korea has shown interest in cooperating on supply chains for key minerals used in electric vehicle batteries. Additionally, there have been discussions on potential collaboration in renewable energy, leveraging Zambia's abundant hydroelectric resources. At the first Korea-Africa Business Summit in 2024, Zambia highlighted investment and trade opportunities and emphasized cooperation with South Korean companies.
See also
- Foreign relations of South Korea
- Foreign relations of Zambia
References
Zambia Category:Bilateral relations of Zambia