Liberia: Korean National Protest for Export Mining Permit

On Tuesday afternoon, October 31, a Korean businessman staged a peaceful protest outside the Ministry of Mines and Energy in Korea. The protest aimed to draw attention to the alleged refusal by the ministry to issue a mining export permit to his company, Koss Liberia, Inc.

According to Hungchi Choi, the general manager of Koss Liberia Inc., he applied for the export permit on October 11, 2023. Choi claims he was informed that, due to the ongoing elections, the ministry would not respond to his application until after the election period.

"I was informed that because of the elections, the ministry would not respond to my application, so I agreed to wait until after the election," Choi alleged.

Since then, Choi asserts that he has made several visits to the ministry in pursuit of the permit. However, he claims that no progress has been made, and he has been unable to reach anyone, including the minister. Choi expressed frustration, noting that other Chinese companies have been granted permits and have been exporting mining resources.

"I have been at the ministry, but I am not being able to see anyone, not even the minister. But other Chinese companies have been issued permits, and they are shipping mining out of the country," he narrated during the protest.  

Koss Liberia Inc. was established in 2022, and Choi says he has invested over US$300,000 in obtaining the necessary documentation under the country's Mining Act of 2000. He holds a dealership license, business registration, and other relevant documents.

"I paid and obtained my dealership license, business registration, and other documents to operate smoothly under the country's mining Act of 2000," Koss general manager said.

"Currently I managed to acquire about 900kg of mining value US@$36,000 but without the permit LRA will not allow me to ship the mining to recover some of my investment in the country" the frustrated Korean businessman said.

Choi emphasized that he currently has approximately 900kg of mining resources valued at US$36,000. However, without the export permit, the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) will not authorize shipment, preventing him from recovering some of his investment.

During the protest, Choi held up a placard criticizing the Ministry of Mine as being complicit in mineral smuggling. The demonstration disrupted the ministry's operations as employees left their offices to observe the event. Journalists attempted to speak to ministry employees, but they declined to comment, citing their lack of authorization.

Choi provided several documents to support the legitimacy of his company's operations, including a certificate of business registration dated March 3, 2023, an exporter dealership ID with license number DL 6007423, and the approval of the dealership license under the Mineral and Mining Act of 2000.

The protest by the frustrated Korean businessman highlights his plight and challenges the Ministry of Mine and Energy to address his allegations and provide clarity on the status of his export permit application.