Information on Countries and Other Areas

Information on the Region

• The ROK-Latin America and Caribbean Relations

  • Latin America and the Caribbean(LAC) countries have unfailingly supported the Republic of Korea on the international stage as a long-standing ally since the Cold War. When the government of the ROK was established in 1948, the majority of LAC recognized it as the only legitimate government on the Korean peninsula. In 1950, Colombia participated in the Korean War, while Mexico and many other LAC countries sent medicine and aid. Then, in October 1959, Brazil became the first LAC country to establish diplomatic relations with the ROK. Thereafter, the ROK expanded diplomatic relations with other LAC countries which resulted in diplomatic ties with the 32 countries of LAC. By establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba in 2024, ROK now has diplomatic relations with all LAC countries.
  • In the 1990s, relations between the ROK and LAC developed rapidly. In 1991, former President Roh Tae-woo made the first official visit to Mexico and in September 1996, former President Kim Young-sam visited five Latin American countries, namely Guatemala, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and Peru. These visits strengthened the basis for cooperation between the ROK and LAC in fields such as politics, diplomacy, and economy. The economic and trade relations also expanded in the 1990s. Thanks to its status as a forward base for indirect exports to North America and Europe, LAC emerged as a favored region for investment, in which many Korean companies rushed to launch their businesses.
  • As we entered the 21st century, diplomatic relations and cooperation in diverse fields further strengthened, including people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the ROK and LAC. With the official visit of former President Roh Moo-hyun to Argentina, Brazil, and Chile in November 2004, relations between the two sides evolved from politically friendly ties to practical cooperation in the areas of economy, trade, and natural resources. Furthermore, former President Lee Myung-bak held 27 bilateral summits with leaders of 17 LAC countries during his term in office from 2008 to 2012. Former President Park Geun-hye visited four key countries and our major partners of LAC(Colombia, Peru, Chile, Brazil), and made an official visit to Mexico. Former President Moon Jae-in held summit meetings with Chile and Argentina during multilateral conferences such as the UN General Assembly and the G20 Summit. In 2019, there was active exchange including a state visit by the President of Chile, and the ROK Prime Minister conducted official visits to Colombia and Ecuador.
  • After President Yoon Suk-yeol took office, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo visited three South American countries(Chile, Uruguay, Argentina) in 2022, and during the following year, President Yoon held 12 summit meetings with the head of state or governments of LAC countries, such as Argentina, Paraguay, and Haiti, on the sidelines of international meetings such as the UN General Assembly and the G20 Summit. Furthermore, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo attended the 45th Caribbean Community(CARICOM) Heads of Government conference, and held meetings with the head of governments from 14 Caribbean countries. The strengthened high-level exchanges with the LAC region has particularly focused on economic diplomacy, including economic and energy security. Also, through the meetings and other exchanges there is an active expansion of tailored cooperation in areas where Korea's strengths meet LAC countries’ topics of interest, such as digital transformation, infrastructure, and green growth transition. In February 2024, by establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba, the only country yet to establish diplomatic relations in LAC, ROK has broadened its diplomatic horizon as a global pivotal state.
  • Moreover, ROK is actively pursuing FTAs as a systematic tool to strengthen economic cooperation with LAC, as the region represents a population of 640 million people, a vast market worth 5.3 trillion US dollars (based on 2018 IMF estimates) as well as a strategic point for energy, mining, and food resources. Starting with the Korea-Chile FTA in 2004, the Korea-Peru FTA in 2011, and the Korea-Colombia FTA in July 2016 have entered into force.
  • The ROK government also signed a FTA with five Central American countries(El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Honduras and Panama) in March 2018, which entered into force on March 1st, 2021, after Panama finally notified its fulfillment of domestic legal requirements. In addition, since May 2018, ROK has been negotiating a trade agreement(TA) with the Southern Cone Common Market(MERCOSUR), composed of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. In June 2022, ROK declared the initiation of negotiation procedures to become an associate member of the Pacific Alliance(Alianza del Pacífico), composed of Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Chile as well.