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Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent

SOUTH Korea and Cuba agreed to establish ambassador-level diplomatic relations between the two countries through diplomatic and official exchanges, at the United Nations in New York, last week.

Cuba is the nation’s 193rd diplomatic country and one remaining member of the United Nations which did not have diplomatic ties with South Korea.

In a statement, South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the establishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba was an important turning point for strengthening their diplomacy with Latin America and was expected to contribute to further expanding their diplomatic reputation as a global hub.

“Diplomatic relations between Korea and Cuba are expected to contribute to the expansion of substantial cooperation between the two countries by establishing an institutional foundation for expanding economic cooperation and supporting Korean enterprises, and it is also expected to provide systematic consular assistance to Korean citizens visiting Cuba.

“About 14 000 Koreans visited Cuba annually before the coronavirus with some 1 100 descendants of Koreans who moved to Cuba from Mexico during the Japanese colonial rule in 1921,” reads the statement.

The Ministry said trade volumes between South Korea and Cuba were US$14 million in exports and US$7 million in imports.

“Until now, the two countries have expanded exchanges and cooperation centring on non-political fields such as culture, people-to-people exchanges, and development cooperation, in particular, the spread of friendship awareness between the two people through active cultural exchanges is considered to have contributed to diplomatic relations between the two countries”

Mr Soo-suk Lim, South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said the relations between the two countries are expected to be an important turning point in strengthening diplomacy in Latin America

“It is expected to contribute to the expansion of substantial cooperation between the two countries by expanding economic cooperation between the two countries through diplomatic relations with Cuba and laying the institutional foundation for Korean companies to enter the market,” he said.