MIAMI, United States – The opening of South Korea’s embassy in Cuba has been postponed until early next year, according to officials from that country quoted by Korea Times. The embassy was originally scheduled to open by the end of 2024 but has been delayed due to challenges in obtaining materials and furniture on the island.
According to reports, the delay is primarily due to logistical difficulties and the shortage of supplies in the Cuban market. Frequent power outages and fuel shortages have also hindered operations, making it difficult even to acquire basic items for the new diplomatic mission.
In the meantime, South Korean staff are operating out of a temporary office in the Miramar Business Center, which also houses the Cuban Telecommunications Company (ETECSA) and several airlines.
As reported by Korea Timesthe Asian country is seeking the collaboration of Cuban authorities to expedite the embassy’s opening process.
The Cuban regime announced last June that it was negotiating with South Korea to open their respective embassies “as soon as possible.”
Carlos Pereira, the Director General of Bilateral Affairs at Cuba’s Foreign Ministry, stated on the social media platform Affairs. During the meeting, they discussed “the process of opening their respective embassies” in both countries.
Diplomatic and consular relations between the Cuban regime and the Republic of Korea, which had been suspended since 1959, were reestablished on February 14 through an exchange of diplomatic notes between the Permanent Missions of both countries at the United Nations in New York, according to a brief statement from the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX).
Diplomatic ties between the two countries were severed in 1959 due to the political and ideological alignment between the dictatorships of Cuba and North Korea.
As early as 2016, Havana and Seoul had taken steps toward normalizing their relations when the chambers of commerce of both nations signed a memorandum of understanding to share business-related information, facilitate exchanges between delegations, and organize joint forums, as noted by the EFE news agency.
The rapprochement between Seoul and Havana has caused discontent in North Korea, a historical ally of the Cuban regime since the establishment of their diplomatic relations in 1960. As a sign of dissatisfaction, North Korea’s state media reduced its coverage of Cuba, according to The Korea Times.
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