1. On May 27, Deputy Minister for Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Chung Byung-won met with Sheillah Chikomo, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Zimbabwe, who is visiting Korea at the invitation of the Korea Foundation.

2. Deputy Minister Chung highlighted that the bilateral relationship between Korea and Zimbabwe has been further strengthened following the Korea-Zimbabwe Summit held on the occasion of the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit in June last year. He expressed Korea’s hope to enhance substantive cooperation in various areas, including economy, critical minerals, and development cooperation.

3. Deputy Minister Chung appreciated the outcomes of the meeting between Korea’s Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Zimbabwe’s Minister of Mines and Mining Development, which took place on the occasion of the Korea-Africa Critical Minerals Dialogue in South Africa in February this year. Deputy Minister Chung also noted that the Trade and Investment Promotion Framework (TIPF) signed last year and the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) have laid a foundation for the enhancement of bilateral economic exchanges. In response, Deputy Minister Chikomo said that more Korean companies could invest in Zimbabwe and thus cooperation in trade and investment could be further expanded.

4. Deputy Minister Chikomo emphasized the potential for cooperation in key sectors such as critical minerals. She also highlighted Zimbabwe’s participation in the K-Ricebelt Project since last year and stressed the importance of promoting bilateral cooperation in agriculture.

5. This meeting served as an important opportunity to reaffirm the shared commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation and follow up on the outcomes of the Korea-Zimbabwe Summit held in June last year. It also explored ways to expand substantive cooperation between the two countries.