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President John Dramani Mahama has arrived in the South Korea for a five-day working visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and exploring new opportunities for trade, investment and technological cooperation between the two countries.

Session started: Wed, Mar 11, 2026 7:53 AM

Session ended: Wed, May 6, 2026 10:30 PM

7:10 AM - South Korean President's gifts to President Mahama on the first day of his visit

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung prepared Ghana chocolate and Samsung Electronics' latest smartphone as gifts for Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, who is visiting South Korea for summit talks with Lee on Wednesday.

Lee sent Ghana chocolate produced by South Korean confectionery firm Lotte, specially designed with Mahama's name and the national flags of the two countries, to Mahama's hotel to mark his five-day official visit to South Korea that began Tuesday, according to presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.

The chocolate, popular in South Korea and made with Ghanaian cacao accounting for more than 80 per cent of its ingredients, carries special meaning for Lee as he received it from a child during his hunger strike in September 2023, Kang said.

Lee will also present Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra, released last month, to demonstrate South Korea's advanced technology and industrial competitiveness, Lee's office said.

A folk painting depicting naval training during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) was also prepared to symbolise South Korea's commitment to strengthening maritime security cooperation with Ghana, it noted.

8:04 AM - President Mahama’s South Korea visit yields maritime, climate and AI cooperation deals

President John Dramani Mahama and his South Korean counterpart Lee Jae-Myung have held high-level talks in Seoul aimed at strengthening cooperation between Ghana and South Korea in areas including maritime security, climate action and digital innovation.

The summit took place on Wednesday afternoon at the South Korean presidential office during President Mahama’s ongoing working visit to the Asian nation.

At the end of the meeting, the two sides signed a number of agreements designed to deepen bilateral collaboration, particularly in maritime security, climate change mitigation and emerging technologies.

A key agreement was a memorandum of understanding between the Korea Coast Guard and the Ghana Navy to strengthen cooperation in maritime safety and security.

The two governments also signed an additional memorandum of understanding covering cooperation in digital technology, innovation and emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence.

Symbolism linked to maritime cooperation also featured in the gifts prepared for the Ghanaian leader during his visit.

Among the items presented to President Mahama was a traditional Korean folding screen depicting “Sugun Joryeondo,” a folk painting showing warships arranged in formation during a naval drill in the era of the Joseon dynasty.

South Korean officials said the gift symbolised the maritime focus of the visit, particularly President Mahama’s planned participation in a ship-naming ceremony.