President Lee Jae Myung, right, holds hands with Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama ahead of their summit talks at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

President Lee Jae Myung held summit talks with Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday and agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, maritime security, climate change and agriculture.

In their talks, Lee noted the growing trade and investment ties between the two countries and expressed hope to further expand cooperation in various areas, describing Ghana as a major gateway to the African market.

"Ghana is a country we are grateful to, as it has actively cooperated in ensuring the safety of Korean nationals in the Gulf of Guinea, where piracy threats persist," Lee said in his opening remarks.

"As a maritime nation bordering three West African countries, Ghana also serves as a reliable gateway for the Republic of Korea's entry into the African market," he added.

Mahama arrived in Korea on Tuesday for a five-day working visit, becoming the first African leader to visit the country since Lee took office in June 2025.

Ghana is regarded as one of Africa's leading democracies and serves as a trade and logistics hub in West Africa, hosting the secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area launched in 2021.

Maritime security cooperation is one of the areas the two countries have worked on, as Korean sailors have previously been kidnapped from ships off the coast of Ghana due to piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, a major shipping and energy trade route.

Lee also described Ghana as a "long-time friend," noting that the two countries share a similar history of overcoming colonial rule and dictatorship to become model democratic nations, and expressing hope to build on the momentum as the two countries will mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year.

"The two countries have achieved remarkable results in cooperation across various fields, including maritime security, trade and agriculture," he said. "I hope that President Mahama's visit to Korea will serve as an opportunity to generate tangible outcomes of cooperation that the peoples of both countries can truly feel."

Source: Korea Times News