Agriculture Diplomacy Led by Minister Jeong Hwang-geun... "Urges Support for Busan World Expo in C?te d'Ivoire"

C?te d'Ivoire Becomes 10th Member of the 'K-Rice Belt'

Jung Hwang-geun, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, actively engaged in 'agricultural diplomacy' by visiting C?te d'Ivoire, the 10th member country of the 'K-Rice Belt,' promising to share Korea's agricultural technology and experience, and urging support for the Busan World Expo bid.

On the 19th (local time), the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced that Minister Jung met with Vice President Ti?moko Meyliet Kon? of C?te d'Ivoire to discuss agricultural cooperation plans, including the K-Rice Belt project.

Minister Jung visited C?te d'Ivoire as a special envoy of President Yoon Suk-yeol just one month after the president proposed food security cooperation to Vice President Kon? at the United Nations General Assembly on the 19th of last month, delivering a letter from President Yoon. The meeting was also attended by Ajoumani, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Food Production, and Adom, Minister of Foreign Affairs, showing the Ivorian government's strong interest in Korea's agricultural technology and experience.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Vice President Kon? stated that both he and President Alassane Ouattara are well aware of Korea's capabilities and welcomed cooperation with Korea through the K-Rice Belt, as rice self-sufficiency is an important issue. Vice President Kon? expressed gratitude to President Yoon and the Korean government for their continuous friendship and mentioned that the Ivorian government will build an even stronger friendship with Korea.

Later that afternoon, Minister Jung attended the national day event held at the Korea-C?te d'Ivoire Sports, Culture, and ICT Cooperation Center, where he had discussions with key high-level officials including the Vice President, and ministers of agriculture, foreign affairs, transportation, and information, urging support for the 2030 Busan World Expo and explaining Korea's strengths.

Minister Jung said, "As the first Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to visit C?te d'Ivoire, I believe that explaining Korea's unique agricultural development experience in detail and forming a consensus left a good impression on the local leaders. Korea's vision to overcome the food crisis aligns with the theme of the Busan World Expo, which provides a platform for cooperation and solidarity to reduce disparities between countries. Therefore, I will continue to actively pursue agricultural diplomacy."

On the 19th (local time), Jeong Hwang-geun, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (right), and Ti?moko M?li?t? Kon?, Vice President of C?te d'Ivoire, who met to discuss agricultural cooperation measures, are taking a commemorative photo.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.