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During President Mandela's visit to Seoul in 1995, he requested South Korea to assist South Africa by providing vocational training.
In 1995 a delegation from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) visited South Africa and entered into discussions with the Department of Labour. In the course of 1997 the Department of Labour suggested that the Korean assistance be targeted at the upgrading of the Central Organisation for Trade Testing (COTT). Subsequently, there have been several exchange visits, and an agreement regarding "Indlela" (previously COTT) was signed in the first quarter of 2000. This agreement was aimed not only at the upgrading of equipment, but also at the training of staff for trade testing and assistance with the decentralisation of services to all the provinces. The value of this project was in the amount of US 3 million dollars.
South Korea also offered to sponsor a training programme for senior South African Government officials annually for five years, beginning in June 1997. This programme was known as the Executive Development Programme for South African Government officials. The Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Public Service Administration and the South African Management and Development Institute, facilitated the nomination of 21 public servants drawn from the nine provinces to attend the first training programme in Seoul in 1997.
According to the Korean Foreign Ministry, 118 people received training 1991 to 2002.
In 2003 Korea invited 7 trainees and provided support for NGOs in the field of pre-school facilities and health.
During the Second Policy Consultative Meeting (PCM) in 2002, Korea offered human resources development assistance to the NEPAD Secretariat.
The South African Department of Labour participated in the third PCM held in Pretoria on 28 and 29 June 2005. On this occasion the Working Group on Minerals and Labour i.e. decided to explore and promote co-operation in the field of skills development and training. In this regard both sides exchanged opinion on the draft MOU for the co-operation in the field of employment, proposed by the South African side.
