The Export-Import Bank of Korea said it agreed to work together for cultural exchanges with South Sudan on Monday, as a biennial ministerial meeting for economic cooperation between Korea and African nations kicked off in Seoul.

In a memorandum of understanding inked Monday, Eximbank and KBS agreed with the South Sudanese government delegation to provide the African country with Korean pop culture content such as television dramas, hoping to spread the “Korean Wave” across the continent.

The MOU signing was carried out in commemoration of the late Catholic priest Lee Tae-seok who devoted his life to caring for displaced people in war-torn South Sudan, Eximbank said. Lee’s story of healing South Sudanese villagers through both medicine and music was made into a widely viewed KBS documentary titled “Don’t Cry, Tonj” that moved many hearts.

A brass band composed of teenagers from the village of Tonj, where Lee served as a clergyman, doctor, teacher and mentor, also attended Monday’s ceremony at KBS headquarters in Seoul in memory of Lee who passed away from cancer in 2010.

“We hope our cooperation for cultural exchange in connection with the ‘Smile, Tonj’ project can help share the sprit of Lee Tae-seok and Korea’s compassionate aid programs across the globe,” Eximbank CEO Kim Yong-hwan said.

South Sudan’s Minister of Information Barnaba Marial Benjamin said Korea’s provision of “hallyu” (Korean Wave) content in addition to its aid for health infrastructure to his civil war-torn country will strengthen the two nation’s ties and friendship.

Together with the Korean Ministry of Finance and the African Development Bank, Korea Eximbank is hosting the four-day Korea Africa Economic Cooperation through Thursday at Seoul’s Shilla Hotel, where 41 economic ministers and vice ministers of 39 African countries such as Ghana and Sudan, officials of the AFDB, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and World Bank are gathering.

The theme of this year’s KOAFEC, held biennially since 2006, is “Inclusive Growth,” and various plans for economic collaboration will be discussed, Eximbank said.

Eximbank has provided nearly $1.5 billion so far in economic development cooperation funds for African countries.

Aside from the EDCF, Eximbank has offered some $5 billion in financing support for Korean companies making inroads into Africa over the past five years.

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)