Ghanaian Ambassador to South Korea Visits Hometown, Inspires Students
Kojo Choi, Ghana’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, recently returned to his birthplace of Chuncheon, South Korea, for a special visit and to deliver a public diplomacy lecture to students at Yubong Girls’ High School. The visit marked a significant moment for Ambassador Choi, born Choi Seung Eub in 1978, as he shared his life journey and encouraged students to pursue their dreams.
From Chuncheon to Ghana: A Life of Adaptation
Ambassador Choi’s story is one of cross-cultural adaptation and resilience. He relocated to Ghana with his missionary father, Reverend John Choi, at the age of 14. He recounted the challenges of adjusting to a new language and unfamiliar environment, sharing how he found connection through a table tennis victory. “I went to Ghana with my missionary father when I was in middle school, but it wasn’t easy to adapt since I didn’t understand the language and the environment was unfamiliar. I won a table tennis match and became a hero, so I started hanging out with my friends,” he explained to the students.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Diplomats
The ‘2026 First Half Public Diplomacy Academy Special Lecture’ at Yubong Girls’ High School aimed to provide students with insights into Ambassador Choi’s international career path and the importance of Korea-Africa relations. He engaged the students with a quiz about Ghana, including questions about its chocolate production and its historical significance as the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence.
Ambassador Choi encouraged students to uncover their own “Ghana” – a place or field where they can pursue their passions – and their own “table tennis” – a skill or opportunity to overcome challenges. He concluded by reminding the students, “The English abbreviation for Yubong is ‘You are the Best,’” urging them to believe in themselves.
Promoting Cooperation Between Chuncheon and Ghana
Prior to the lecture, Ambassador Choi met with Chuncheon Mayor Yook Dong-han, Korea-Africa Foundation Chairman Kim Young-chae, and Honorary Consul Lim Chang-seon of the Republic of Korea in Namibia to discuss strengthening ties and cooperation between Chuncheon and Ghana, as well as broader collaboration with the African region.
A Fintech Entrepreneur and Diplomat
Kojo Choi is a naturalized Ghanaian citizen and a prominent figure in Ghana’s fintech industry. He founded PaySwitch Limited in 2015, Ghana’s first third-party payment processor certified to integrate with major payment networks like Visa, MasterCard, UnionPay, and mobile money providers. His work in fintech earned him recognition as one of Ghana’s 25 Most Influential FinTech Leaders in 2018.
An in-depth interview with Ambassador Choi will be published by the Dong-A Ilbo on March 27th.
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