A Cuban delegation will visit South Korea next week to attend an annual forum, marking its first visit since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries earlier this year, Seoul’s foreign ministry said Wednesday.

The 2024 Korea-Latin America and the Caribbean Future Cooperation Forum, the 17th of its kind, will be held in Seoul for a two-day run starting next Monday. The event will bring together over 250 representatives from the government, academia and businesses, including attendees from Cuba, Peru, Honduras and other major Central and South American countries.

This will be the first official visit by Cuban officials since South Korea and Cuba made the surprise announcement in February about establishing diplomatic relations, dealing a significant blow to North Korea, which has maintained “brotherly” ties with Havana.

“We naturally invited (the Cuban delegation) to discuss ways to cooperate on bilateral and multilateral platforms related to Latin America,” a foreign ministry off
icial said on condition of anonymity. “This will contribute to strengthening relations between the two countries.”

Regarding economic cooperation with Cuba, the official said it would be reviewed from a long-term perspective. The United States has maintained comprehensive economic sanctions against the Caribbean nation since 1962.

“It is believed that Cuba has shown significant interest in economic cooperation with us,” the official said. “Despite many restrictions, we need to consider what forms of cooperation are possible under these circumstances.”

Source: Yonhap News Agency