South Korean Presidant is visiting Ethiopia for the first time in Ethio-Korea relations

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak

In six decades of Ethio-Korea diplomatic relations, Lee Myung-bak is the first president to visit Ethiopia.

The president and 170 South Korean delegates arrived in Addis Ababa on 8^th of July, 2011 for a three-day official visit.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak agreed to provide active support for Ethiopia’s economic development, pledging to significantly boost relations with the African nation that helped save the South from North Korea’s invasion 60 years ago.

They also agreed to share Seoul’s “green growth” vision for environment-friendly growth.

Other agreed points include promoting trade and investment as well as increasing cooperation in resources and technology to help Ethiopia grow its economy in a sustainable manner, the statement said.

Ethiopia is the final leg of Lee’s three-nation African tour that took him to South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Ethiopia is one of 16 nations that sent combat troops as part of U.N. forces to help South Korea repel invading North Korean troops during the Korean War. A total of 6,037 Ethiopian troops were dispatched, with 122 killed and 536 injured.