South Korea Establishes First Diplomatic Relations with 'North Brother Nation' Cuba... Plans to Open Resident Embassy

Exchange of Diplomatic Notes Between Two Countries' UN Missions in New York
South Korea's 193rd Diplomatic Partner... "Expanding Practical Cooperation"

Cuban female students wave the national flag on the 8th of last month (local time) to commemorate the day when the revolutionary army led by former Cuban President Fidel Castro entered Havana on January 8, 1959.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

South Korea has established diplomatic relations with Cuba, with which it had no prior diplomatic ties. The government has decided to actively carry out follow-up measures, including opening resident diplomatic missions in Cuba.

On the 14th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced, "South Korea and Cuba agreed to establish ambassador-level diplomatic relations through the exchange of diplomatic notes between their respective permanent missions to the United Nations in New York."

Cuba is South Korea's 193rd country to establish diplomatic relations with. Among UN member states, only Syria remains without diplomatic ties with South Korea.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "Establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba, the only country in the Latin American Caribbean region without diplomatic ties, marks an important turning point in strengthening our diplomacy toward Latin America and the Caribbean. It is expected to contribute to further expanding our diplomatic horizons as a global pivotal state."

It added, "The establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Cuba is expected to contribute to expanding practical cooperation between the two countries by laying an institutional foundation for expanding economic cooperation and supporting the entry of our companies."

The Ministry also stated, "We expect to provide systematic consular assistance to our citizens visiting Cuba."

The government plans to actively discuss follow-up measures after establishing diplomatic relations, such as mutually opening resident diplomatic missions with the Cuban government.

Cuba is a communist country and is referred to as a ‘brother country’ with North Korea. It has never had official diplomatic relations with South Korea.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, about 14,000 South Koreans visited Cuba annually. Approximately 1,100 descendants of Koreans who migrated from Mexico to Cuba during the Japanese colonial period in 1921 currently reside in Cuba.

The trade volume with South Korea was about 14 million USD in exports and 7 million USD in imports as of 2022.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "So far, the two countries have expanded exchanges and cooperation mainly in non-political fields such as culture, human exchanges, and development cooperation. In particular, the recent active cultural exchanges have contributed to spreading friendly awareness between the peoples of the two countries, which is also evaluated to have contributed to the establishment of diplomatic relations."

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