The South African Embassy celebrated two decades of freedom and economic transformation as a non-apartheid nation at a national day reception Tuesday.

Freedom Day, which falls on April 27, celebrates the first free and fair democratic election in South Africa, which elected President Nelson Mandela.

“The late Nelson Mandela said, ‘If any day marked the crossing of the divide from a past of conflict and division to the possibility of peace and unity, from inequality to equality, from a history of oppression to a future of freedom, it is April 27, 1994,’” said South African Ambassador Nozuko Gloria Bam in a speech at the reception.

“Freedom has enabled a process of social delivery on a massive scale. South Africa has made significant progress in building a democratic nation founded on the values of human dignity, non-racialism and non-sexism,” she added 

South African Ambassador Nozuko Gloria Bam (fifth from left) and Korea’s Oceans and Fisheries Minister Yoo Ki-june (third from left) pose with African ambassadors to Korea at the Freedom Day reception in Seoul last Tuesday. Joel Lee / The Korea Herald

2015 marks the 60th anniversary of South Africa’s Freedom Charter, adopted in Kliptown Soweto, which allowed South Africans to formulate their vision of society in line with progressive aspirations.

Noting that the last 21 years of freedom based on the charter’s ideals had not brought about tangible improvements, Bam stressed South Africa “must do more to break down the artificial barriers of culture, race and religion that still divide us.”

“We must be agents of these social transformations,” the newly appointed ambassador added.

South Africa is working to bring about a radical economic transformation this year to confront economic inequality, injustice, poverty and unemployment. The National Development Plan has a vision for 2030, which aims to tackle social and economic constraints, create jobs, elicit broad participation of citizens, and make use of its natural and cultural resources.

This year also marks the 23rd anniversary of bilateral relations between South Africa and South Korea. The two countries elevated their political dialogue from the Policy Consultative Forum to the Joint Cooperation Council, cochaired by Foreign Ministers.

Korea’s Oceans and Fisheries Minister Yoo Ki-june echoed the ambassador’s view, saying that the two countries, despite sharing a history of colonialism and imperialism, have regained their freedom through arduous struggles.

The minister also highlighted South Africa’s development plan for the oceans economy, through which Korea will lend assistance in technology sharing and expand commercial ties.

South Africa and Korea’s trade and investment, which encompasses a broad range of goods from minerals to advanced electronic products, is increasing. Korea is South Africa’s fourth-largest trading partner in Asia, and South Africa is Korea’s second-largest trading partner in Africa.

Currently, Korean companies and organizations operating in South Africa include POSCO, LG Electronics, Hyundai E&C, Daewoo E&C, Hankook Tire, Parts Mall, Hanhwa Corporation, Taihan Electric Wire, Korea EximBank and Korean Government Resources Corporation.

Samsung Electronics has set up a television factory in Durban, and Hyundai Motor established a car plant in Benoni last year.

By Joel Lee (joel@heraldcorp.com)