President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated Ghana’s commitment to deepening cooperation with the Republic of Korea, citing the shared democratic values that underpin relations between the two countries.

Speaking during bilateral talks with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung in Seoul, President Mahama said Ghana and Korea share similar historical experiences and a strong commitment to democratic governance and human rights.

“Our relationship is not defined by the distance between our two countries, but by the similarity of the values we share,” he said, noting that both nations often take similar positions at the United Nations and other international forums.

President Mahama also praised Ghana’s Ambassador to Korea, Kojo Choi, saying he “embodies the values of both Ghana and Korea” and has been warmly received in the country.

He highlighted growing cultural connections between the two nations, pointing to the popularity of Korean culture among Ghanaian youth. “Our young people listen to K-pop music and even enjoy Korean cuisine like kimchi,” he noted.

On economic cooperation, President Mahama said Ghana is prioritising agriculture and agribusiness to strengthen food security, citing collaboration with the Korea International Cooperation Agency under the K-Rice Belt Project to boost rice production.

“Rice has become a staple food in Ghana, and we want to reduce the amount we import by increasing domestic production,” he said.

The President also highlighted opportunities for trade and investment through the African Continental Free Trade Area, whose secretariat is hosted in Accra. He said Ghana aims to position itself as a production and export hub for the African market.

“With Ghana’s natural and human resources and Korea’s technology and innovation, we can build a strong win-win partnership,” he stated.

President Mahama further stressed the need to add value to Ghana’s natural resources, particularly cocoa. “We want to process more of our cocoa into products such as cocoa liquor and cocoa butter rather than exporting it in raw form,” he said.

He also pointed to opportunities for collaboration in the exploration and processing of critical minerals including bauxite, manganese, gold, lithium and nickel.

On security cooperation, President Mahama underscored the importance of maritime safety, particularly in tackling piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, and welcomed plans to sign a memorandum of understanding on maritime cooperation.

He added that Ghana’s economy is recovering steadily after a recent financial crisis following a successful debt restructuring.

“Our economy is back on track. Inflation is declining, our currency has strengthened, and we are meeting our debt obligations,” he said.

President Mahama expressed Ghana’s readiness to once again access support from Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund and welcomed plans to sign a visa waiver agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders to ease travel between the two countries.

He concluded by reaffirming Ghana’s support for reforms at the United Nations to expand representation and strengthen global governance.