Ghana yesterday joined staff of the Korean Embassy and Koreans in Ghana to celebrate the Korean National Foundation Day.
Koreans celebrate October 3, every year as National Foundation Day to mark the founding of the first Korean Kingdom more than four thousand years ago.
This year’s celebration was held virtually just like last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic which is still wreaking havoc across the globe.
Mr Lim Jung-Taek, the Korean Ambassador to Ghana, urged Ghanaians to get vaccinated and observe the COVID-19 safety protocols to stay healthy.
He noted that the relationship between Ghana and Korea dated back to the 1960s when Korean fishermen came to Ghana for tuna fishing in the Gulf of Guinea, but said diplomatic relations officially started in 1977.
The Korean Ambassador said the relationship between the two countries in health, agriculture and the economy had been greatly enhanced.
Mr Jung-Taek said following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Korean Government had donated medical supplies to Ghana to help it fight the virus.
In order to build a robust and prosperous agriculture sector in Ghana, Mr Jung-Taek said there was an on-going project in the Central Region to improve the rice value chain system.
He said: “such endeavor would hopefully lead to enhancing competitiveness of the agricultural industry, expanding export of agricultural products as well as ensuring food security in Ghana.”
In the area of culture, the Korean envoy said the annual Korea Week celebration had become a cherished and anticipated celebration for young Ghanaians.
He said “this year’s celebration was a remarkable one witnessing the enthusiasm with which the Ghanaian youth show cased their knowledge and interests in Korea in various fields.”
“I personally found it refreshing to hear and watch participants sing and dance to Korean music as well as enjoy Korean cuisine. With this I am confident that our cultural cooperation will further deepen down the road.”
Mr Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, who spoke on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the People of Ghana said the celebration was an opportunity for the two countries to renew and strengthen existing bilateral cooperation.
He thanked the Government and the People of Korea for the immense support it had provided Ghana to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, funding of energy, agriculture and water projects as well as the provision of scholarships to Ghanaians to study masters programmes in Korea through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
Mr Ampratwum-Sarpong proposed a toast to the continued good health and wellbeing of the Government and People of Korea.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
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