As a way of deepening the relationship between Nigeria and other countries and collaborating on parliamentary and economic matters, the lawmaker representing Oyo Central Senatorial District, Senator Yunus Akintunde PhD, was in South Korea for the Korea Foundation Invitation Program for Distinguished Guests in Parliament.
The Oyo-born All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain, who is the only Nigerian at the event, was invited alongside Senator Ivan Alberto Flores Garcia from the Senate of the Republic of Chile; Ahmed Ezzat Manna, Secretary General of Egypt House of Representatives; Edin Darlek, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Serbia; and Martin Ivan Yeza, National Congressman at the Chamber of Deputies of Argentina.
Facilitated by the Korea Foundation, a public diplomacy organization affiliated with South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and which is committed to promoting a better understanding of Korea and strengthening friendship in the international community, the event took place between the 20th and 26th of April 2025.
Akintunde, who chairs the Senate committee on environment, also had an encounter at the Korea Legislative Research Institute before attending a session at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security with briefings on security and development led respectively by Prof Ban Kil Joo and Prof Sung Jisun both notable experts in South Korea and the international community on Security and defence issues.
Speaking on the gains of the event, Akintunde said he has learnt new things, adding that “this engagement provided me with a valuable platform to join global legislative leaders in addressing pressing international challenges and forging strategic partnerships.
“As part of the program, I held a productive meeting with Mr. Kin Youngchee, the President of the Korea Foundation, where we explored ways to strengthen bilateral relations between Nigeria and South Korea, particularly in areas such as environmental sustainability, energy development, education, and innovation.
“The visit also afforded me the opportunity of embarking on a visit to the greenhouse in Seoul, which offered insights into climate-resilient farming, precision agriculture, and green technologies—tools we must embrace in Nigeria to enhance food security and environmental stewardship,” he added.
