Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Kingdom of Bahrain

Kingdom of Bahrain, located in a geopolitical hub at the center of the Arabian Gulf, has thrived since the era of its prosperous ancient Dilmun civilization, as a transit trade center connecting Mesopotamia and Indus civilizations. With this virtue, the Kingdom has long been enjoying a high level of cultural openness and tolerance, one of the reasons being selected as the best destination for foreigners to reside in. 

The Kingdom of Bahrain, with relatively smaller oil and natural gas reserves in comparison with its other GCC states, has been pursuing the development of the non-energy sector, inclusive of tourism, finance, telecommunications, manufacturing and so on. Bahrain is the first Gulf Cooperation Council member to enter into a free trade agreement with the United States. It is also the first country to host the Formula 1 Grand Prix in the Middle East.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the Republic of Korea and the Kingdom of Bahrain on April 17, 1976, our bilateral relations have been developing ever since. The Kingdom has been viewed as a gateway to the Middle East by the Korean people. The construction of the Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard(ASRY) in 1975 was the first ever development project Korea won in the Kingdom; becoming thus the ground for Korea’s “Construction Boom in Middle East”. It is also worthy to note that Korea’s inaugural flight from Seoul to the Middle East region landed in Manama in 1976, making the destination a must for Koreans to reach the region.

The two countries are expanding and deepening their friendly cooperation to include new fields such as politics, culture and health. For the first time in the world, Bahrain adopted National Health Insurance System of Korea, under a flagship titled “SEHATI”. In addition, in 2023, Air Services Agreement was signed between Korea and Bahrain.

Korean embassy will continuously make best efforts to further solidify our bilateral relations, support the activities of Korean companies, protect and promote safety of Koreans. We aspire to gain your great interest and support. 

Thank you for taking the time to visit our website.

Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Kingdom of Bahrain   Koo, HeonSang