Ghana’s Ambassador-designate to South Korea, Kojo Choi, a South Korean-born Ghanaian whose recent appointment has sparked both praise and debate, has shared a personal story that underscores his deep integration into Ghanaian culture.
Speaking in an interview with Channel One TV on Tuesday, August 12, Mr Choi revealed that despite arriving in Ghana at age 14 without speaking Twi, he went on to excel in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the subject.
“I couldn’t speak Twi when I first arrived in Ghana. I attended SOS Junior High School in Tema, and that’s where I learnt it. I had an aggregate 5 in Asante Twi for BECE, while my Ghanaian friend, who is fully Ghanaian, had six, and another had seven. I had a pass mark, but it’s not easy to get that,” he said.
Choi, who later attended SOS Hermann Gmeiner International College and the University of Ghana, explained that his early boarding school life restricted students to English, French, or Swedish, but he also picked up Pidgin English along the way. His travels to Ghana’s Upper East Region exposed him to Frafra, which he speaks to some extent.
Fluent in Twi and conversant in Frafra, Choi stressed that he is Ghanaian in every sense of the word. “I am a full Ghanaian; I don’t hold any other passport apart from the Ghanaian passport. This is my home,” he affirmed.
His appointment in July 2025 by President John Dramani Mahama makes him the first person of Korean descent to serve as Ghana’s envoy to Seoul, a move aimed at deepening trade, cultural exchange, and diplomatic ties between the two nations.
Professionally, Kojo Choi has amassed over 20 years of experience in Ghana and the West African region, with expertise spanning telecommunications, financial technology (Fintech), marketing communications and business consulting. He is the founder and CEO of PaySwitch Ghana Limited, the country’s first third-party payment processor capable of handling major international card schemes such as Visa, MasterCar, and UnionPay, as well as integrating all major mobile money operators in Ghana. Under his leadership, PaySwitch has achieved notable success and technological innovation in the Ghanaian digital economy.
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Apart from Fintech, Mr. Choi has contributed to Ghana’s cultural and sports sectors, notably founding Art Africa – a cultural and gallery centre in Accra that promotes African artists. He is also an accomplished golfer, having won the Men’s Group A title at the 2023 MTN Ghana Invitational Golf Tournament.
Kojo Choi’s appointment as Ambassador-designate to South Korea, announced officially by President John Dramani Mahama in July 2025, is a milestone reflecting his long-standing commitment to Ghana’s development and international representation. This appointment is historic, as Choi is the first individual of Korean descent to hold such a diplomatic post in Ghana’s Fourth Republic. His nomination was aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation, enhancing trade relations and promoting cultural exchanges between Ghana and South Korea.
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