"Seize the moment and transform"- Korea advises on natural resources use

By David Mugabe

The Korean Ambassador to Uganda has asked Ugandans to seize the moment and exploit the natural resources to ensure a complete economic and social transformation.

Ambassador Park Jong Dae believes the country has got the perfect opportunity now to exploit the abundance of resources that have been discovered from oil and gas, minerals, agriculture, tourism and a bustling young population.

“Now is the time to do something different, people are amazed at what Uganda has to offer, we should be taking advantage of this,” noted Jong Dae during the Korea-Uganda Business seminar at his residence in Nakasero over the weekend.

The question of turning potential into actual value that benefits citizens is emerging as core to the transformation agenda of achieving middle income status by 2040.

abundant resources in oil and gas (over 6.5 billion barrels todate of only about half of the country explored), several mineral deposits, fine weather and several tourism blessings, the country is still grappling with poverty amidst plenty.

This is in stack contrast to South Korea which has about the same land mass, less arable land, almost no minerals but is today a first world.

South Korea is a classic case of how a country can transform when its citizens put their mind towards diligence and hard work to change their destiny.

Situated between China and Japan, South Korea’s transformation has been remarkable from a fish mongering state in the 1960s to a first world country today making some of the most respected global brands like Samsung, KIA and Hyundai among others.

Today, its GDP is well over $1.3 trillion and income per capita above $25,000 while Uganda hovers around a GDP of $25b and per capita income of about $600.

Dr Jee Hyeong-Jin, head of Korea Project on International Agriculture (KOPIA) said the citizens need to change their mindsets and go to work and exploit the resources.

Using the “Saemaul Undong” movement of wealth based on diligence, self-help and cooperation, the entire countryside was inspired to work hard by its leaders, assume a positive attitude and take charge of their destiny. In 10 years, poverty fell to 6% from 30% while per capita income rose to $2,693 from $256. Focus on agriculture was also centered around research and development, high quality seeds

Colonized by Japan until 1945, Korea provides key parallels for Uganda that the ambassador thinks the East African state can ride on. For agriculture that supports over 70% of households, Hyeong advices that investment should be on agriculture technology especially good quality seeds, irrigation and crop practice.

“The most important thing is add value, the size of the land is not important,” said Hyeong pointing out that China has 0.2 hectares per farmer while Uganda has 0.54 hectares.

Hyeong said Uganda’s agriculture can support over 210 million people.

“Change the risk into opportunity, sometimes abundant resources is not a blessing, risk is the same as opportunity,” noted Hyeong.

Uganda Media Centre chief Ofwono Opondo hailed the Korean embassy for focusing on economics and not only politics. He pointed out two projects, one serving destitute children in Mpigi, and the fruit factory works in Soroti that at full capacity will produce 36 tonnes of fruits per day.

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