1. The government of the Republic of Korea will send Representative Lee Ju-young of the ruling Saenuri Party (former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries) as special envoy of President Park Geun-hye to the inauguration ceremony of President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, which will take place on May 29.

o The inauguration of President Buhari holds significance in that it is the first transfer of power from a ruling party to an opposition party through a peaceful election since the establishment of a civilian government in Nigeria in 1999. This symbolizes the expansion of democracy across the entire African region.

2. The ROK and Nigeria, since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1980, have developed close and cooperative relations in a range of areas, including politics, economy and culture. In particular, Korean companies have actively engaged in the resource and energy sector, including deepwater oil and gas development, and construction of power plants.

3. Special envoy Lee Ju-young will congratulate President Buhari’s inauguration, which marks a new turning point in Nigeria’s history of democracy, and meet with high-level officials of the new Nigerian government to strengthen friendly and cooperative relations between the ROK and Nigeria. He will also hold a meeting with representatives from Korean companies in Nigeria and offer encouragement to them.


*unofficial translation