The leaders of South Korea and Senegal on Thursday agreed to cooperate in massive development projects worth $10.1 billion being pushed by the African country to boost its rural, energy and education sectors.

During a summit held at Cheong Wa Dae, presidents Park Geun-hye and Macky Sall also reached an agreement to jointly develop a free economic zone in Senegal and transfer the Korean government’s know-how and experience in the special economic bloc built to attract foreign investments. The agreement would open doors for Korean firms hoping to enter the Senegalese market in the future, officials at the presidential office said.

The western African country has been pushing a comprehensive development project, the Senegal Emergent Plan, to build public transportation networks, industrial infrastructure and power generation in partnership with private companies. The plan unveiled in 2013 by the Senegalese leader, the African government plans to link its major cities by constructing railways and expressways. Korean companies hope to win some of the projects there.

Sall also requested Korean companies’ participation in an offshore infrastructure project worth $88 million aimed at building dredging equipment and oil storage. The Korean government has been assisting the project as part of its Economic Development Cooperation Fund program.

The two leaders also discussed security issues involving the Korean Peninsula, northeast Asia and Africa. The summit was held as part of the Park government’s efforts to bolster cooperation and diplomatic relations with African countries, according to the officials. Since taking office in 2013, Park has held a series of summits with African leaders. Last year, she met with the leaders of Uganda, Ivory Coast and Rwanda.

The Senegalese leader arrived in Seoul on Wednesday for a five-day trip.

After the meeting, Sall met North Gyeongsang Province Gov. Kim Kwan-yong to seek cooperation in Korea’s development program “Saemaul.”

Saemaul, a political initiative meaning new village, was pushed by former late President Park Chung-hee in the 1970s, to modernize the Korea’s rural communities.

To help Senegal modernize its rural communities, the North Gyeongsang provincial government has sent volunteers to two villages in the Saint-Louis region of the western African country.

The provincial government plans to invite Senegalese officials later to better their understandings of the initiative, according to officials.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)