KOREA FOUNDATION

Uruguay and Korea: More Alike than You May Think

Montevideo, the capital city of Uruguay, is the antipode of Seoul. That is, if one were to start in Seoul and dig straight down through the Earth, past its core to the opposite side of the globe, one would arrive in Uruguay. But despite being on opposite sides of the globe, Uruguay and Korea are alike in many ways.

Both countries are geopolitically surrounded by powerful states, and their territories are relatively small with few natural resources, making human resources crucial to both countries. Their histories are also similar; in the early 19th century, after Uruguayan independence hero General José Gervasio Artigas was driven into exile in Paraguay by Argentinian and Brazilian forces, 33 Uruguayan independence fighters declared that they would fight for their nation’s independence. This mirrors the 33 Korean representatives who gathered to recite a declaration of independence when Korea was still under Japanese colonial occupation. Uruguay also provided financial support during the Korean War to help the Korean nation get back on its feet.

In October 1964, Uruguay and Korea established diplomatic relations, and have since maintained close friendship and cooperation in numerous areas including politics, economics, and culture. Uruguay has also been a dependable ally to Korea within the international community.

UruguayMontevideoJosé Gervasio Artigas