(KPL/Yonhap) Yonhap News Agency, South Korea's key newswire, and the Korean representative office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in Seoul on Thursday.

Under the MOU, signed by Yonhap News Agency President and CEO Hwang Dae-il and Kim Sae-ryeo, representative of the UNHCR Korea, the two organizations will work closely together to raise public awareness of the issue of forced displacement in Africa and around the world.

Hwang said at the signing ceremony that Yonhap will join hands with the UNHCR to carry vivid reports on displaced people and refugees in Africa and around the world. Kim expressed hopes that stories on humanitarian emergencies in Africa will be delivered to many readers through Yonhap News.

Yonhap and the UNHCR plan to jointly hold an international forum in Seoul on April 24 to address Africa's displacement and refugee crisis. The forum will bring together officials of major international organizations, the African diplomatic missions in Seoul, as well as experts from academia, for discussions on the displacement and refugees in Africa due to conflicts and climate change, exploring potential solutions and also the role of media in covering these issues.

Last November, Yonhap News launched the Ubuntu Initiative, the first-ever Africa-focused team created by a South Korean media company. Yonhap's Ubuntu department has been working to raise awareness and understanding of Africa in Korean society.

KPL