The South African Embassy and Interpark Mall is co-hosting a South African promotion week through Nov. 11-17, showcasing South African products currently available in Korea including Rugani carrot juice, Ceres juice, Renewallife rooibos tea and Bio-Oil, amongst others.

According to the South African ambassador to Korea, Zenani Dlamini, Korea has a diversified economy that has invested significantly in the development of innovation and technology.

“Platforms of this nature afford South Africa the opportunity to not only consolidate political ties but also to increase trade and investment, create the much-needed value-chains, skills and technology transfer and employment generation,” Dlamini said in a media release.

“South African Embassy therefore embarked on this collaboration with Interpark Mall with a view to optimizing on this burgeoning online market in a bid to actively promote and showcase the South African products,” the ambassador said, recognizing Korea as one of the biggest e-commerce markets worldwide with an internet usage rate of close to 92 percent.

Nomalungelo Gina, South Africa’s deputy minister of trade, industry and competition, said South Africa’s participation in the online promotion aims to increase export sales from the South African agro-processing industry, particularly the food and beverage sector.

Deputy Minister Gina said the approach is aligned to South Africa’s industrialization program and its Integrated National Export Strategy objectives.

“We applaud the promotion and encourage more active collaborations going forward so as to increase the awareness and sale of South African products in the Republic of Korea,” Gina said.

As Korea’s largest trading partner in Africa, total exports from South Africa to Korea were valued at $227 million in 2020, the embassy said. Korea is South Africa’s fourth-largest trading partner in Asia.

“South Africa’s exports have demonstrated an upward trajectory over the years from $100 million in 2016 to $USD153 million in 2020,” the release read.