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Ethiopia and South Korea established diplomatic relations on December 23,[1] 1963.[2]
South Korea has had an embassy in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa since 1965.[3] Ethiopia also has an embassy in South Korea's capital Seoul.[4]
According to a 2019 article, around 1,000 Ethiopians lived in South Korea.[5] Around 400 studied in the country on various scholarships.[5]
In 2018, a direct flight opened between South Korea's port city of Incheon and Addis Ababa.[6]
Ethiopia was part of the United Nations Command that came to South Korea's aid during the 1950–1953 Korean War. It sent an infantry battalion consisting of 6,037 soldiers.[5] Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie sent his elite Kagnew Battalion to the country.[2] They reportedly took place in 253 battles and were never defeated, with 121 deaths and 500 injuries.[5] None were captured.[2] Ethiopian soldiers remained in South Korea after the 1953 ceasefire to assist in the country's rebuilding.[5]
Various monuments in South Korea commemorate Ethiopia's assistance to South Korea during the war, including the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul.[5] A monument to the Korean War soldiers was erected in Addis Ababa.[2]
The city of Chuncheon has since become tied with Ethiopia,[7] and a number of monuments exist to the country and its role in the Korean War. In May 1968, Chuncheon erected a monument dedicated to the sacrifices of the Kagnew Battalion. Haile Selassie was present at its unveiling.[2] An Ethiopia-gil (Ethiopia Road) is also present in Chuncheon.[2] In 2007, the Memorial Hall for Ethiopian Veterans in the Korean War was opened in Chuncheon. It has two floors, with the first floor highlighting Ethiopia's role in the war, and the second highlighting Ethiopia's culture.[5]
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