Mexico–South Korea relations

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Mexico–South Korea relations
Map indicating locations of Mexico and South Korea

Mexico
South Korea

The nations of

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations
.

History

Korean Friendship Pavilion in Mexico City

The first contact between the peninsula of

Yucatán.[3]

During the Korean War, unlike several Latin-American nations, Mexico decided to remain neutral and not send troops to the Korean peninsula, however, approximately 100,000 Mexicans (and of Mexican descent) did fight in Korea under the command the United States Armed Forces as well as under the United Nations flag.[4][5]

On 26 January 1962, Mexico and South Korea formally established diplomatic relations. That same year, South Korea opened an embassy in Mexico City.[1] Initially, Mexico conducted relations with South Korea from its embassy in Tokyo, Japan. In March 1968, South Korea dedicated a Friendship Pavilion to Mexico and placed it in Chapultepec Park.[2] In 1978, Mexico opened an embassy in Seoul.[2]

In 1991, South Korean President

Latin-America. In 1996, Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo reciprocated the visit to South Korea. Since then, there have been several high level visits between the two nations.[2]

In 2017, both nations celebrated 112 years since the first Korean migration to Mexico.[2] In 2021, the Mexican Government created the Establishment of the Association of Mexican Veterans of the Korean War.[4]

In 2022, both nations celebrated 60 years of diplomatic relations.[6] In July of that same year, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard paid a visit to South Korea to continue the conversations for a free trade agreement between both nations that were initiated in 2012.[7]

High-level visits

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and South Korean President Park Geun-hye in Mexico City, 2016.

Presidential visits from Mexico to South Korea[2]

Presidential visits from South Korea to Mexico[2]

Gallery

  • President Roh Moo-hyun and President Vicente Fox in Busan; November 2005.
    President Roh Moo-hyun and President Vicente Fox in Busan; November 2005.
  • President Felipe Calderón with President Lee Myung-bak in Mexico City; July 2010.
    President Felipe Calderón with President Lee Myung-bak in Mexico City; July 2010.
  • President Lee Myung-bak and President Felipe Calderón in Seoul; November 2010.
    President Lee Myung-bak and President Felipe Calderón in Seoul; November 2010.

Bilateral agreements

Both nations have signed several bilateral agreements such as an Agreement on Cultural Cooperation (1966); Agreement on Trade (1966); Agreement on Air Transportation (1988); Agreement on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation (1989); Agreement to Avoid Double Taxation and Prevent Fiscal Evasion with respect to Income Taxes (1994); Extradition Treaty (1996); Agreement on Tourism Cooperation (1996); Agreement on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments (2000); Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (2005); Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters (2005) and an Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (2012).[2][8]

Tourism and Transportation

In 2018, 130,000 South Korean citizens visited Mexico for tourism.[3] In 2017, over 8,000 Mexican citizens visited South Korea for tourism.[2] There are direct flights between both nations with Aeroméxico.

Trade

In 2012, Mexico and South Korea began negotiations on a free trade agreement. In 2023, trade between the two nations amounted to US$23.2 billion.[9] Mexico's main exports to South Korea include: piston and rotary engines, parts and accessories of motor vehicles, aluminum, rubber and tires, chemical based products, fruits and vegetables, meat, and alcohol. South Korea's main exports to Mexico include: machinery, electronic equipment, cars, parts and accessories for motor vehicles, video games and consoles, iron and steel, chemical based products, and food based products.[9]

South Korea is Mexico's sixth biggest trading partner globally and South Korean foreign direct investment in Mexico between 1999 - 2023 amounted to over US$10.5 billion.

Posco and Samsung (among others). Mexican multinational companies such as Grupo Bimbo, Grupo Promax, Katcon, KidZania and Vitro (among others) operate in South Korea.[10]

Resident diplomatic missions
  • Building hosting the Embassy of Mexico in Seoul
    Building hosting the Embassy of Mexico in Seoul
  • Embassy of South Korea in Mexico City
    Embassy of South Korea in Mexico City

See also

References

  1. ^ a b History of diplomatic relations between Mexico and South Korea (in Spanish)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i México y Corea del Sur a 55 Años del Establecimiento de Relaciones Diplomáticas (in Spanish)
  3. ^ a b Korea A New Story: Background of the relationship between Korea and Mexico
  4. ^ a b Establishment of the Association of Mexican Veterans of the Korean War (1950-1953)
  5. ^ Mexicans: Forgotten soldiers of 1950-53 Korean War
  6. ^ México y la República de Corea conmemoran 60 años de relaciones diplomáticas (in Spanish)
  7. ^ El canciller Marcelo Ebrard y su homólogo coreano Park Jin acuerdan impulsar el Tratado de Libre Comercio entre ambas naciones (in Spanish)
  8. ^ Bilateral agreements between Mexico and South Korea (in Spanish)
  9. ^ a b c Data México: South Korea
  10. ^ Guía Práctica para Hacer Negocios en Corea del Sur - 2021 (in Spanish)
  11. ^ Embassy of Mexico in Seoul
  12. ^ Embassy of South Korea in Mexico City
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