South Korea’s Strategic Engagement in South Sudan: Development, Peace, and Mutual Gain

South Sudan is one of the world’s most fragile states, emerging from civil war with very low human-capital and infrastructure indices (over 70% adult illiteracy). The international community – including the Republic of Korea – has supported South Sudan’s peace process and reconstruction (for example, Korea deployed an engineering “Hanbit” unit in 2013 to help rebuild local communities). However, lasting peace in South Sudan will depend on sustained economic and social development (education, health, jobs, technology, etc.). South Korea, with its own history of rapid development, can partner on this path. Doing so advances South Sudan’s stability and serves Korea’s interests. By investing in education, business, health, technology and other sectors in South Sudan as part of its official foreign policy and economic diplomacy, South Korea can build goodwill, open new markets, diversify supply chains, and strengthen its soft power – all of which pay strategic dividends in an uncertain global era.

Education and Human Capital Development

Investing in education and skills is key to South Sudan’s development and peace. UNESCO notes that “developing human capital…is an urgent need to kick-start the economy and promote sustainable development” in South Sudan. Yet more than two-thirds of adults in South Sudan lack basic literacy. Korea’s own development was built on massive investments in education and human capital, a legacy noted by African observers. Thus Korea can share its expertise by supporting schools, teacher training, technical and vocational education, and scholarships. KOICA (Korea’s ODA agency) typically focuses on such programs: for example, KOICA partners with UNESCO and UN agencies on literacy and school improvements in fragile states. Offering scholarships to South Sudanese students, setting up vocational centers, and supporting girls’ education are concrete steps. In practice, this could mean:

• Teacher training and curriculum aid. Korea can fund training programs for South Sudanese teachers (even sending some to Korea or bringing Korean educators to Juba) to improve quality of education. KOICA and UNESCO emphasize enhancing curricula and teaching skills as catalysts for growth.
• Scholarships and exchanges. Korea can award university or technical school scholarships to South Sudan’s youth, building a cadre of skilled professionals. Student-exchange programs (including cultural exchanges around science and technology) create long-term people-to-people ties and build goodwill. Notably, Korea’s high-school and university education systems could serve as models: African youth are already curious about “how Korea progressed so quickly”, often citing Korean education investment as a key factor.
• Vocational training for youth. Practical skills programs (like Korea’s Hanbit Vocational Training Center established under UNMISS) train young South Sudanese in welding, construction, agriculture, and IT. As UNMISS reports, this program has trained hundreds of youth, “enhancing skills…to be self-reliant, self-employed…job creation and empowerment”. Korea can expand such centers (as part of peacekeeping or civilian aid) to reduce unemployment and attract youth away from conflict.

These education initiatives – from basic literacy to vocational skills – not only empower South Sudanese (promoting social cohesion) but also serve Korea’s soft-power and economic diplomacy goals. Graduates with Korean training are natural promoters of Korean culture and technology, and many may later work in Korean companies or export-oriented sectors. In sum, Korea’s support for education directly builds the human capital needed for South Sudan’s stability while also creating a generation of Koreafriendly professionals.

Economic Growth and Business Diplomacy

South Korea’s engagement in South Sudan should heavily involve economic and business development. Korea and South Sudan have already agreed to cooperate in infrastructure, water, trade, health and education. South Sudanese leaders have explicitly invited Korean investment in oil and gas, roads, railways, clean water, health and education, aiming to make “South Sudan’s universities…compete with the region”. Korea can respond by encouraging its firms to explore opportunities there. Key approaches include:

• Infrastructure projects and energy. Korean construction and engineering firms can build roads, bridges, power plants, and water systems. Building stable infrastructure is vital for peace (connecting regions, enabling markets) and also profitable. For example, Korea has expertise in highway construction and smart grids that could be exported.
• Oil, mining and agriculture partnerships. South Sudan’s economy is oil-dependent. Korean energy and natural-resource companies could partner (with appropriate risk assessment) to develop oilfields or minerals under transparent, peaceful conditions. Likewise, Korean agribusiness can invest in large-scale farming (leveraging Korea’s agricultural technology) to improve South Sudan’s food supply and create export crops. These ventures would give Korean firms new markets and resources, while boosting South Sudan’s economy.
• Trade facilitation and joint ventures. Korea can negotiate bilateral trade agreements or investment treaties with South Sudan, simplifying exports of Korean goods (from machinery to consumer products). The 2024 Korea-Africa Summit pledged to raise ODA to Africa to $10 billion by 2030 and establish bodies to monitor implementation. A part of this involves helping Korean small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to tap African markets. The Korea-Africa Foundation, for instance, plans to “support Korean companies interested in exploring opportunities in Africa”. This means linking South Sudanese importers and local companies with Korean businesses (e.g. telecoms, electronics, automotive parts).

By building economic ties, Korea gains access to emerging markets and diversifies away from traditional trade partners. As Korea’s Trade Minister recently emphasized, Seoul “must diversify our trading partners…expand networks with emerging economies across the Global South”. Engaging with South Sudan fits this strategy of supply-chain and market diversification. It can reduce Korea’s dependence on any one region and open new growth opportunities. Moreover, infrastructure contracts and long-term investments in Africa can yield substantial returns once stability improves. Indeed, Korea’s own postwar miracle was driven by global trade – reinforcing Korean expertise in building export-led economies, which it can now share abroad.

Health, Technology, and Infrastructure Assistance

Beyond education and business, Korea can support health and technology initiatives that build resilience and interdependence. South Sudan faces severe health crises (most-recently the worst-ever cholera outbreak, recurrent malaria, high child mortality). Korea’s advanced healthcare system and pharmaceutical industry position it to help:

• Health systems and clinics. KOICA can fund clinics, train nurses/doctors, and support vaccination campaigns. In many countries, KOICA partners with UNICEF and WHO on maternal/child health; similar projects in South Sudan (e.g. mobile clinics, water sanitation) would save lives and earn goodwill. Health assistance also stabilizes communities (healthy populations are more productive and less likely to fall into conflict). As UNESCO notes, lack of investment in basic services in South Sudan has undermined development; Korea can help plug these gaps.
• Agricultural and industrial technology. Korea’s technological know-how can transform South Sudan’s agriculture and infrastructure. For example, Korean peacekeepers and engineers introduced “high-tech farming techniques” at the Dr. John Garang University, developing a new rice strain (“Korous”) and training villagers. This kind of agricultural innovation raises yields and food security. Similarly, Korea can help build renewable-energy systems (like solar mini-grids) to power schools and hospitals in rural areas. Transfer of Korean ICT solutions – such as broadband connectivity and mobile applications – can also strengthen governance and peacebuilding. In fact, Korea has already supported technology-driven peace efforts: KOICA co-funded the “AlertME” mobile app in South Sudan, which connects local peace committees to national authorities with real-time conflict reporting. As UNDP notes, “technology-driven solutions like AlertME offer a powerful pathway to inclusive, community-led conflict prevention”, and explicitly thanks KOICA for investing in this peace tech.

These health and tech projects benefit South Sudan, but also advance Korean interests. Korean pharmaceutical and biotech exports may find new clients in a developing health sector. South Sudan’s growing IT adoption (with smartphones) opens markets for Korean mobile networks and devices. Successful tech projects give Korean companies credibility in international tenders. Moreover, by helping to stabilize South Sudan’s society through health and technology, Korea contributes to regional stability (fewer humanitarian crises and refugee flows) which aligns with Korea’s own national security and international responsibilities.

Cultural Diplomacy and Soft Power Initiatives

Korea can amplify its soft power in South Sudan and the wider region through cultural diplomacy. Positive cultural ties build trust and make all other policies (business, aid) more effective. Examples include:

• Cultural exchanges and media. Hosting South Sudanese students and leaders in Korea (and vice versa) fosters understanding. The Korea-Africa Foundation already organizes events like youth forums, Model African Union assemblies, and film festivals (an Africa Film Festival in Seoul) to celebrate African and Korean cultures. Extending such outreach to South Sudan – for instance, screening African films or Korean dramas, and inviting South Sudanese artists – helps erase negative stereotypes. Korean popular culture (K-pop, K-dramas) is already finding audiences across Africa, generating billions in tourism and trade for Korea. By nurturing this trend in South Sudan, Korea boosts tourism and product exports (ramen, cosmetics, electronics) as Africans develop a positive “Korea brand” perception.
• Sports and education partnerships. Korea can sponsor scholarships or sports clinics (e.g. taekwondo training, given Korea’s strength in martial arts) for South Sudanese youth. Scholarships to Korean universities or technical institutes were noted above. Such people-to-people programs cultivate long-term allies: today’s exchange students become tomorrow’s business or political partners.
• Multilateral dialogue and image-building. Inviting South Sudanese officials to Korea (as the 2023 visit by the Vice President to Seoul illustrates) and publicly declaring friendship helps build Korea’s reputation as a caring partner. Through UN and international forums, Korea can highlight its aid efforts in South Sudan, enhancing its status as a middle power that “stands with the people” of war-torn regions.

These soft-power initiatives reinforce the more concrete programs above. As one analysis notes, Korea’s cultural outreach has tangible economic returns: the “Korean Wave” has generated $8–10 billion in tourism and commerce. In South Sudan (and neighboring countries), a favorable view of Korea can translate into consumer demand for Korean goods and openness to Korean companies. It also makes South Sudanese leaders more likely to align with Korea on global issues (see below).

Strategic Benefits and Rationale for South Korea

All these development and diplomacy efforts in South Sudan serve South Korea’s interests in an uncertain world. Some key national advantages include:

• Diversified markets and resources. Engaging South Sudan (and Africa generally) opens new avenues for Korean exports and raw-material imports. As Korea’s trade minister stated, Seoul must “diversify our trading partners” and “expand networks with emerging economies across the Global South”. South Sudan (and Africa’s fast-growing population and economy) represents one such frontier market. For instance, rising rice consumption in Africa creates demand for high-quality Korean agricultural productskoreatimes.co.kr. Investing in South Sudanese oil, minerals, and agriculture hedges Korea’s economy against volatility in any single region.
• International influence and alliances. Africa’s 54 nations hold over a quarter of UN votes. By helping South Sudan build peace and prosperity, Korea strengthens its ties with one UN member and earns goodwill across Africa. This can translate into support for Korea’s positions in international bodies (e.g. reform of the UN, climate agreements) and greater voice in multilateral forums. Moreover, success in peacebuilding boosts Korea’s global image as a responsible and capable middle power.
• Soft-power dividends. As noted, cultural affinity yields real economic and diplomatic returns. Every young South Sudanese who grows up friendly to Korea is a potential advocate or business partner for Korean products. Building Korea’s brand as a country that helped South Sudan’s recovery means more tourists, more trade deals, and more global respect – just as those killed coals, it can help “win hearts and minds.”
• Global stability and security. A peaceful South Sudan contributes to a more stable world. Reducing conflict in Africa can help curb international terrorism, reduce refugee crises, and stabilize commodity markets – all of which benefit Korea’s security and economy. By tackling South Sudan’s challenges (education, unemployment, governance), Korea invests in long-term peace. This is akin to the logic of the KOICA–UNDP partnership: addressing root causes of conflict and building community resilience. In sum, Korea helps create a safer environment for both South Sudanese and the global community, which is in Korea’s long-term national interest.

In short, South Korea’s support for South Sudan’s development is not a one-sided act of charity, but a strategic investment. As Korea’s diplomats emphasize, cooperation with Africa must be based on mutual benefits, not a one-way relationship. By combining education programs, business projects, health and tech aid, and cultural outreach, Korea can help South Sudan weave peace through development while simultaneously securing markets, allies, and moral leadership for itself. Such a holistic approach – grounded in Korea’s experience and driven by shared goals – advances the stability of a fragile state and reinforces Korea’s resilience and influence in an unpredictable world.