Korea to open embassy in Madagascar

South Korea will open an embassy in Madagascar early next month, government sources said Sunday, amid its stepped-up efforts to strengthen diplomacy with the resource-rich continent.

The two countries established diplomatic ties in 1962, but Seoul has not opened any mission in Antananarivo, the capital of the southeastern African state. After a government with close ties to North Korea took power in the African state in the 1970s, the bilateral relations remained chilled for nearly two decades.

President of Madagascar Hery Rajaonarimampianina (L) shakes hands with South Korean Ambassador to South Africa Choi Yeon-ho after receiving a letter of credence on July 9, 2015.(Yonhap)

Seoul has been preparing for the opening of the new embassy in the African country for around eight months since it secured approval from Antananarivo for the mission. Seoul is also considering sending an official ambassador to the country, a source said.

In recent years, South Korea has been seeking to expand relations with Madagascar to bolster cooperation in development and economic areas. A source said that the government is also seeking to invite Madagascar's foreign minister to visit Seoul next month.

South Korea has pushed to strengthen its diplomatic ties with Africa as the resource-rich continent posts growth rates of an average 5 percent, and more countries are achieving political stability through democratically elected governments.

To further ramp up the diplomatic efforts, President Park Geun-hye recently visited Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya.

As of March this year, South Korea has diplomatic relations with 48 African states. With the new embassy in Madagascar, it now has permanent embassies in 18 of them. (Yonhap)