Minister Bang Moon-kyu Departs to Appeal for Busan Expo Support and Attend IEA Critical Minerals High-Level Meeting

First Visit to Cabo Verde by a Government Official at Ministerial Level or Higher

Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Bang Moon-kyu will depart on the 27th to visit Cabo Verde in the western Atlantic Ocean of Africa as a special envoy of the President to negotiate the hosting of the Busan World Expo, after attending the International Energy Agency (IEA) High-Level Meeting on Critical Minerals held in Paris, France during the Chuseok holiday period.

First, Minister Bang will attend the IEA High-Level Meeting on Critical Minerals and Clean Energy held at the IEA headquarters in Paris, France on the 28th, participating in discussions to strengthen international cooperation on diversifying critical mineral supply chains.

On this day, Minister Bang is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech in the first session titled "Infinite Potential of Technology, Recycling, and Jobs," highlighting the importance of technological innovation to secure a stable supply of critical minerals, measures to promote recycling, the potential for job creation, the South Korean government's key policies, and the necessity of forming a global consensus to secure critical mineral supply chains.

Following this, on the 29th, Minister Bang will visit Cabo Verde to discuss with senior officials bilateral cooperation in the agricultural sector, the establishment of communication channels at the private sector level, as well as official development assistance (ODA), trade and investment promotion, and energy infrastructure cooperation. Approximately 30 economic delegates, including government agencies such as the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Rural Development Administration, public institutions like the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), and private companies, will accompany the minister on this visit. Minister Bang will also request Cabo Verde's support for the 2030 Busan World Expo.

An official from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy stated, "Due to geographical distance and the considerable time required for visits, cooperation between Korea and Cabo Verde has been relatively minimal until recently. As Minister Bang will be the first government official at the ministerial level or higher to visit Cabo Verde during the six-day Chuseok holiday, this occasion is expected to serve as a catalyst for initiating cooperation between the two countries."