Ghana, South Korea reach historic visa deal for diplomatic, service passport holders

Ghana and South Korea have signed a historic visa waiver agreement for holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports, marking a major milestone in bilateral relations.

The agreement was signed on June 1, 2026, by Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on the sidelines of the ongoing Africa-Korea Foreign Ministers Meeting.

Announcing the development on X, Mr. Ablakwa described the pact as a significant achievement in relations between the two countries.

“Ghana and South Korea today signed a historic Visa Waiver Agreement for holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports,” he stated.

The Foreign Affairs Minister disclosed that discussions would continue to extend the arrangement to holders of ordinary passports, a move expected to deepen people-to-people exchanges and strengthen cooperation between the two nations.

“Negotiations will continue to bring on board holders of Ordinary Passports,” he said.

Mr. Ablakwa noted that the agreement is the first visa waiver arrangement between Ghana and South Korea since the establishment of formal diplomatic relations nearly five decades ago.

“This is the first Visa Waiver Agreement by our two nations in almost 50 years of formal bilateral relations,” he wrote.

He added that the agreement reflects progress made following the working visit of President John Dramani Mahama to South Korea in March this year.

“I am delighted we are delivering on key priorities following the working visit of President Mahama to South Korea in March this year,” Mr. Ablakwa stated.

During that visit, President Mahama held bilateral talks with South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries.

The discussions focused on expanding cooperation in agribusiness, maritime security, artificial intelligence, value addition to critical minerals, automotive manufacturing, infrastructure development, particularly railway systems, as well as trade and capacity building.

President Mahama also highlighted the longstanding relationship between Ghana and South Korea, noting that both countries share democratic values, respect for human rights and a commitment to international cooperation.

The visa waiver agreement is expected to facilitate official travel between the two countries and further enhance diplomatic engagement as Ghana and South Korea seek to broaden cooperation across key sectors of their economies.

Meanwhile, calls to extend the agreement to ordinary passport holders have intensified.