[Song Jong-hwan] Private efforts renew Korea-Pakistan cooperation

It has been nine years since I completed my service as Korea's ambassador to Pakistan. The relationships I built during that time remain active. I continue quietly to contribute to deepening ties between the two countries, convinced that much potential still lies untapped.

The Korean government has supported Pakistan’s economic development through the Economic Development Cooperation Fund and the Korea International Cooperation Agency. Many Korean companies, both large and small, have entered the Pakistani market, while the Pakistani government has actively pursued trade expansion and investment from Korea.

However, despite these efforts, the results have yet to meet expectations. On Sept. 29, bidding for the Karachi IT Park construction project, worth $158.4 million under the EDCF, was declared void as no Korean companies participated. Likewise, the Pakistani government invited Korean firms to the 3rd International Food & Agricultural Exhibition 2025, scheduled for Nov. 25–27 in Karachi. The response has been lukewarm, with 40 Korean companies having responded to the invitation so far.

Economic instability under the International Monetary Fund management program, safety concerns fueled by media reports of terrorism, and the inconvenience of an absence of direct flights operated by Korean airlines have all contributed to this hesitation. Yet, compared with the circumstances under which Korean miners and nurses went to Germany in the 1960s, or when Korean construction firms ventured into the Middle East in the 1970s, Pakistan’s conditions are not worse. The perception of terrorism, too, has been overstated by repetitive media coverage.

Pakistan, with a land area four times that of the Korean Peninsula and a population of 240 million, remains a land of immense opportunity. It is rich in mineral resources such as coal, gas, copper, gold and iron ore. More than 100 million of its citizens are between the ages of 18 and 40, forming a young, low-cost labor force complemented by a sizable number of English-proficient and computer-skilled engineers. According to FAO statistics, Pakistan ranks fourth in cotton, fifth in milk, and seventh in wheat production — demonstrating great potential for agricultural growth. To transform this potential into reality, private-sector participation must complement government-to-government cooperation.

Currently, about 18,000 Pakistanis reside in Korea, including around 1,500 engaged in trade-related work. Among them, about 500 are members of the Pakistan Business Association, chaired by Mudassar Ali Cheema. This year, the PBA has promoted the signing of memorandums of understanding with regional chambers of commerce and organizations in Korea seeking to expand trade with Pakistan. At the chairman’s request, former diplomats and businesspeople with experience in Pakistan are also expected to join the PBA Advisory Committee to help build bridges of cooperation.

Cultural and humanitarian exchanges are equally vital. Both nations share a common history of struggle and renewal. The Republic of Korea regained its freedom from Japanese colonial rule on Aug. 15, 1945, while Pakistan gained its independence from Britain on Aug. 14, 1947. The Embassy of Korea in Islamabad has been active in engaging with Pakistani civil society. Since 2017, the Embassy of Pakistan in Seoul has independently or jointly hosted Independence Day celebrations each August with Korean cities such as Seoul, Incheon, Daegu, Yongin, Siheung and Yangju.

On Aug. 16, the city of Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, led by Mayor Lee Dong-hwan, and the Pakistani Embassy, represented by the newly appointed Ambassador Syed Moazzam Shah, co-hosted an Independence Day ceremony that featured a moving presentation by a young Korean photographer. Since 2011, this photographer has been working to build and support two primary schools in northern Pakistan near K2, at 3,200 meters above sea level in the villages of Surongo and Mondrong. He pays the salaries of six teachers and supports 120 students by providing them with desks, chairs and school supplies. Inspired by his dedication, about 35 Korean benefactors will hold an inaugural meeting of a support association for the two schools on November 4 in Seoul, aiming to develop it into a foundation that promotes educational and medical assistance in Pakistan.

Such grassroots initiatives show that efforts to strengthen bilateral relations are quietly taking root at the private level. They reflect the same pioneering spirit that guided Koreans who once sought opportunity abroad under far tougher circumstances. And Korea’s rise was once nurtured by international goodwill and the resolve of its people. Now is the time for Koreans to look beyond risk and rediscover Pakistan’s potential. Just as small seeds sown in the ground will one day grow into great trees, I believe that these modest beginnings will, in time, flourish into a strong and enduring partnership between Korea and Pakistan.

Song Jong-hwan

Song Jong-hwan, former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Pakistan, is a Chair Professor of International Relations at Kyungnam University. The views expressed here are the writer’s own. — Ed.