KAMPALA – The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Uganda, His Excellency Byung-Kyoo, has on Friday, July 26 paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga.
He expressed disquiet over Uganda’s failure to open an Embassy in Seoul.
During their interaction, Mr Byung-Kyoo said that failure to have the mission was negatively impacting trade and other areas of mutual interest.
Mr Byung-Kyoo also noted that Korea had had diplomatic presence in Kampala over the past five decades.
“Trade between Kampala and Seoul, which once hovered between US$ 19 and 42 million has declined over the decades,” he said.
The Ambassador told the Speaker that he had repeatedly engaged Uganda’s Foreign Affairs ministry and other departments over the need for opening a mission in Seoul but to no avail.
“In the field of education, Seoul was currently offering 10 scholarships to Ugandans every year, a figure which the Ambassador hopes to increase”, Hon Kadaga noted.
He said the biggest setback is lack of a Ugandan Embassy in Seoul.
Hon Kadaga urged Ugandans to get scholarships to study in Korean Universities and other tertiary institutions in the Asian nation.
“Uganda should have a Chancery in Seoul and our Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs will discuss this issue and pen a resolution, which would be forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs”, the Speaker said.
