Senior diplomats from South Korea and Cuba held talks Wednesday for the first time since the establishment of diplomatic relations earlier this year, Seoul's foreign ministry said. Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Byung-won met with Carlos Miguel Pereira Hernandez, director general for bilateral affairs at the Cuban foreign ministry, in Seoul and discussed bilateral ties, as well as the opening of mutual diplomatic missions, according to the ministry. Both sides concurred that the establishment of diplomatic ties between South Korea and Cuba marks a "significant milestone" in their bilateral relations, the ministry said, pledging joint efforts to expand and enhance cooperation in various fields. Notably, the two parties agreed to establish diplomatic missions in each other's countries as soon as possible as they will serve as a foundation for strengthening relations. Chung said South Korea plans to establish a temporary office in Havana in the first half of this year in a bid to accelerate the opening of it s embassy. South Korean officials are expected to visit Havana this week for the work. Pereira noted that Cuban officials tasked with opening their embassy in South Korea have been active with the goal of establishing the embassy at the earliest possible date. Pereira, leading a delegation, is in Seoul to attend a regional forum on cooperation between South Korea and Latin American countries. He is the first senior Cuban diplomat to visit South Korea since the formal diplomatic ties were forged in February. Following the forum on Monday, Pereira told reporters that the opening of a Cuban embassy in Seoul could potentially occur as early as next month. The Cuban official said the embassy would be opened "as soon as possible," when asked by reporters on Wednesday about the timing. He will be departing for Havana on Thursday. Source: Yonhap News Agency
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