South Korea’s Midnight Surprise: Diplomatic Ties with Cuba Shake Up International Relations

Cuba is the only communist country in the Western Hemisphere and the so-called brother country of North Korea
South Korean government “Cuba seemed to want to establish a diplomatic relationship without letting know North Korea”

Late at night on the 14th (Korean time, 10 PM), news of a sudden establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Cuba was reported.

South Korea and Cuba announced they had officially established diplomatic relations by exchanging diplomatic notes through each Permanent Representative of their countries to the United Nations in New York on the same day (local time).

Experts evaluate that establishing a relationship with Cuba means beyond a simple diplomatic relationship because Cuba is the only communist country in the Western Hemisphere and the so-called brother country of North Korea.

South Korea has welcomed Cuba as its 193rd diplomatic partner. It leaves Syria as the last country that has not established diplomatic relations with South Korea among the UN members.

North Korea has established diplomatic relations with 156 countries, and the only countries that have established relations solely with North Korea, excluding South Korea, were Cuba, Syria, and Palestine. One of these countries has now left, which signifies a notable shift.

Cuba was the only country in Central and South America that had not established diplomatic relations with South Korea, so this event is expected to broaden South Korea’s diplomatic horizon further.

 

Due to the significance of this matter, the process of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries was carried out secretly.

Cuba recognized the Republic of Korea in 1949, but after the socialist revolution in Cuba in 1959, exchanges between the two countries were severed.

For the past two years, South Korea has been continuously attempting to establish diplomatic relations with Cuba, and last year, the South Korean Foreign Minister met with high-ranking Cuban officials three times.

Finally, just before the Lunar New Year holiday, Cuba expressed a willingness to discuss the establishment of diplomatic relations actively. Through the window of the UN missions in New York, final communications and agreements were made between the two governments.

The decision to establish diplomatic relations between South Korea and Cuba was made at a cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Han Deok Su on the day after the Lunar New Year holiday.

The South Korean government explained that because this matter was under tight security, even the Cabinet Members only became aware of the agenda to establish diplomatic relations after taking their seats at this confidential meeting.

A high-ranking government official said, “Since taking office, President Yoon Suk Yeol has been steadily working behind the scenes to establish diplomatic relations,” and “Cuba seems to have wanted to establish diplomatic relations with South Korea without notifying North Korea, as they were thirsty for economic cooperation and cultural exchanges with our country.”

This is interpreted as expressing concerns about North Korea’s opposition and sabotage while discussing establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries.

 

The presidential office also gave significance to the establishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba today, saying, “It is inevitable that North Korea will suffer considerable political and psychological damage.”

A high-ranking official from the presidential office met with reporters and said, “This establishment of diplomatic relations is the final chapter of diplomacy with the socialist bloc, including former Eastern Bloc countries that were friendly to North Korea,” and “This establishment of diplomatic relations clearly shows what the mainstream of history is and who holds it.”

The government believes that the positive views of the Cuban people, who have a strong interest in K-pop and K-dramas, as well as the possibility of multifaceted economic cooperation, influenced Cuba’s decision to establish diplomatic relations.

The two countries plan to actively discuss measures such as the opening of mutual embassies and the entry of companies in the future.