South Korea is stepping up its engagement with Africa, seeking trade agreements while expanding cooperation in critical minerals and manufacturing supply chains, Yonhap News Agency, the country’s national news service, reported.

Speaking at the Korea-Africa forum on trade and industrial cooperation in Seoul, Vice Trade Minister Park Jung-sung described closer ties as “a wise choice that can foster growth for both sides and turn crises into opportunities.” He added that the government would actively advance trade deals while strengthening supply-chain collaboration in strategic sectors.

The forum drew around 100 officials, including envoys from 12 African nations and business representatives. South Korea’s trade with Africa has historically accounted for less than two per cent of its total trade, despite Africa’s population of 1.4 billion and growing economic significance.

Securing stable access to critical minerals is a key driver of the initiative. South Korea relies on imports for more than 95 per cent of such materials, including lithium, cobalt, manganese and graphite, much of which passes through China. African countries, rich in these resources, offer Seoul an opportunity to diversify supply chains for advanced industries such as semiconductors and electric vehicle batteries.

The push follows the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit, where leaders agreed to establish a Critical Minerals Dialogue and explore broader frameworks for trade, investment and industrial cooperation. At the summit, South Korea pledged to increase its official development assistance to the continent to 10 billion US dollars by 2030, alongside roughly 14 billion US dollars in export financing to support Korean firms operating in Africa.