Last year, the Republic of Korea and Jamaica celebrated 60 years of diplomatic relations. It is a milestone that bears special significance given that the Republic of Korea is one of the first nations to formalise diplomatic relations with Jamaica, just two months after Jamaica’s entry on the international stage on October 13, 1962.

Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade of Jamaica, in her address to the Senate last December, paid tribute to 12 countries, including Korea, that established diplomatic relations with Jamaica in 1962. Minister Johnson Smith said, “We pay tribute to these countries which have been with us from the very beginning. Their faith in our ability to chart our own destiny and their commitment to lending support in this regard have not gone unnoticed. We salute their resolve to be a part of our journey when we were keen to assert our newfound freedom and independence, and they shared our vision and determination to do so”.

The Republic of Korea echoes the sentiments expressed by Minister Johnson Smith and celebrates our friendship with Jamaica as one of longevity that will endure the test of time.

Korea and Jamaica’s bond is no coincidence. Over the years, Korea and Jamaica have achieved great things together in the spirit of cooperation as well as individually as nation-states. Both countries evolved from a history of colonial rule rising to be globally recognised for our respective abilities.

Korea is recognised internationally for its excellent developmental model, rapidly moving to achieve developed status, transitioning from an aid recipient to a donor nation in record time. Also, Korea became the seventh country among countries with a population of over 50 million to attain a GNI (gross national income) per capita of more than US$30,000, and the achievement list goes on.

Jamaica, too, has recorded its share of achievements in areas such as music, sports, tourism hospitality, among others. The Jamaican culture is infectious and has drawn interest from every corner of the globe. Both countries should continue to nurture their respective areas of competitive advantage and help each other achieve further greatness. I must say that Korea and Jamaica have reasons to celebrate as a people and we should strive to highlight our solid achievements to the younger generations so that they can consciously contribute to nation-building.

Bilaterally, Korea and Jamaica’s relations have grown tremendously. Our countries are now operating at a higher level of cooperation. This has been achieved through hard work and transparency in our diplomatic relations. It is pleasing to recognise the high level of trust between our countries. Since 2020, Korea and Jamaica have done tremendous work together in the face of crisis. Being faced with a pandemic, countries were being pushed to their limits, but Korea and Jamaica stood together in the fight against COVID.

Korea’s humanitarian support was steadfast, and it was pleasing to witness the prudent use of medical equipment and test kits donated to the Jamaican Government. The total humanitarian assistance for the past three years is valued at around US$2.3 million. In fact, Jamaica was one of seven target countries in the world selected for Korea’s Priority Partner Country of the COVID-19 Comprehensive Rapid Response Programme. This is an extraordinary case, and it speaks to the sentiments of the Korean Government toward Jamaica.

Over the years at the bilateral level, Korea through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has provided crucial aid to Jamaica. Some of these include human capacity-building; cadastral mapping; land registration, administration and management; customs modernisation; animation; coastal management, as well as the development of the National Identification System (NIDS).

Korea and Jamaica have excelled in the areas of culture and art globally. These are areas of high interest that could gain fast traction for lucrative cultural collaboration. The Korean cultural wave is one of the most globally recognised at the moment. With the popularity of K-pop, K-drama, Korean cuisine, and K-beauty, Korea is now in a position of global influence.

Likewise, Jamaican reggae music is popular to the point where we now have Korean reggae artists that have joined the genre and are doing well despite language and distance. Despite our differences, there is always a point at which we can connect as a people. Just last October, my embassy invited a psychedelic Korean folk music group from Seoul which performed in Kingston, Jamaica, in honour of Korea and Jamaica’s Diamond Jubilee. The event was highly successful and received rave reviews from the audience, despite the songs being presented in Korean.

Additionally, the Korean Government donated a sculpture, made by a renowned Jamaican artist Lisa Lindo, which is now permanently housed in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. The sculpture represents the enduring friendship that exists between our two countries and is a symbol of our collective strengths and support for years to come. It will always stand as a memory of our close bond.

We can achieve much more through our development cooperation initiatives. These initiatives could drive our countries to achieve more together. One of the main contributors to Korea’s development, if not the most important, is education. Korea took deliberate steps to create an efficient and trained workforce to carry out its strategic plans. And we have all seen the fruits of that decision. Korea now has a literacy rate of 98 per cent. In any successful democratic developmental model, education must be a priority. Korea continues to offer training to public sector workers in areas of their expertise free of charge through the KOICA and other government ministries in Korea.

This year the Korean Government has a plan to donate tablet PCs valued at US$500,000 to Jamaican schools. Education is vital in nation-building, and Korea will continue to support Jamaica in identified areas of interest. Also, Korea’s interest in the development and advancement of Jamaica’s energy sector has not only led to its investment in the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) but has allowed Jamaica to benefit tremendously from knowledge transfer and the sharing of best practices in energy generation and distribution.

And so, with all that Korea and Jamaica have achieved together, it is accurate to say the friendship has taken on new grounds and has borne tangible fruits through the various stages of history. It is a time to reflect on our achievements over the past 60 years and a time to also identify areas where we can improve. I am optimistic that our relationship will grow and expand in new constructive directions, and I am happy for the opportunity to contribute to this process at this time in history.

Korea has overcome obstacles and challenges to assume its place as a leader in the global arena. Jamaica too has made its mark internationally holding leadership positions in international organisations that impact the world dynamics spanning from health, finance, maritime, and others.

They say, “Old wine and friends improve with age,” and our friendship is mature enough to jump to the next level.

Baejin Lim is charge d’ affaires at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Jamaica.