By Lee Jon Young 

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is in New York for the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, held his first summit with President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone on the afternoon of September 21.

During the meeting, President Yoon requested Sierra Leone's support for the 2030 Busan World Expo and exchanged views on the development of bilateral relations.

President Yoon congratulated President Bio on his re-election as President in June, and encouraged the two countries to work closely together to promote common values as they expand bilateral cooperation in areas such as food security and human resource development, as well as their shared two-year term as non-permanent members of the Security Council. 

President Yoon also noted that his government will host the first-ever Korea-Africa Summit in Korea next year, and invited President Bio to attend.

President Bio expressed his deep gratitude for Korea's support for the construction of a municipal building in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, and expressed his hope that during his tenure in office, the two countries will deepen their relationship in key areas such as education, which is key to Sierra Leone's national development. 

President Bio also appreciated the Korean government's commitment to strengthening diplomacy with Africa, and welcomed the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit, which he will consider attending.

On the occasion of the meeting, the two leaders agreed to further enhance bilateral exchanges and continue to identify cooperative projects that will benefit both economies.