Korea-Africa Foundation president vows to establish information network

By Kwon Mee-yoo

Africa is known as a continent of opportunities with solid economic growth backed by its young population and abundant natural resources. Korea is seeking to strengthen relations with Africa through the Korea-Africa Foundation (KAF), which is a platform for exchanges and better understanding.

"Korea's diplomacy is centered too much on the four super powers ― the United States, Japan, China and Russia ― and inter-Korean relations. We need to diversify our diplomacy to play more roles in the international community," said Lyeo Woon-ki, president of the KAF, during an interview with The Korea Times, April 15.

"The African continent is often called the blue ocean, the young continent or the future growth engine of the world. Korea recognizes the significance of Africa in many words, but few are put into action. The Korean government founded the KAF as part of its efforts to pay more attention to Africa and create new opportunities."

The foundation, established in June 2018, is an affiliate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and aims to promote partnerships with African countries in the political, economic, cultural and academic fields among others.

Lyeo, who was inaugurated as the second head of the foundation in March, is a seasoned diplomat who worked at the foreign ministry for some 30 years. He served as deputy director general of the African and Middle Eastern Affairs Bureau and ambassador to Ghana and Ireland.

"I retired last year, having some free time planning the second phase of my life, and then received a call from the ministry to take this post. So I opened the second act of my life, assuming a heavy responsibility in boosting ties between Korea and the African continent," Lyeo said.

Africa is a continent with large potential ― its population as of 2020 is around 1.3 billion and is expected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, becoming the biggest manufacturer and market in the world. However, it is not well known in Korea.

Lyeo recalled his day as the ambassador to Ghana from 2014 to 2017.

"When I arrived in Ghana, one of the first things I did was visit a KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) project site, which was a two-day drive from the capital where the embassy was. Those unpaved roads and people carrying water jars for drinking water reminded me of my childhood in Gangwon Province."

"I felt a sense of affinity, realizing that Africa was not much different from Korea. Africa is like a society where past and present co-exist. Metropolitan and urban areas are developed, much like Korea, but there are more areas with development potential outside those developed areas.

"K-pop, Korean dramas and films are well-known in Africa. I heard that the drama "Bridal Mask" is very popular in Africa as it gained sympathy because of the similar history of colonization. I wish K-pop groups such as BTS would visit and perform in Africa when they tour the world."

Based on his experience in Africa, Lyeo said changes in perception are required to help develop relations with African countries.

"Many Koreans often associate Africa with negative images such as poverty, as typical images of Africa shown by Korean media are provided by philanthropic organizations which aim to appeal to sympathy and raise funding. Much of that footage is old or from a few disputed areas of Africa," Lyeo said.

"The actual scenery of Africa today is not much different from how we live now. Metropolitan areas enjoy the technology of modern civilization just like we do. That is why we have to stay away from stereotypical ideas of Africa. Korea does provide aid through official development assistance (ODA) programs, but Africa is not a target of aid but an equal partner in economic cooperation becoming a destination of trade and investment."