Cuba's first ambassador to Korea begins role 11 months after forming diplomatic ties - The Korea Times
Cuba's first ambassador to Korea begins role 11 months after forming diplomatic ties
Posted : 2025-01-08
Acting President Choi Sang-mok, right, poses for a photo after receiving the credentials from Claudio Raul Monzon Baeza, Cuba’s ambassador to Korea, during a ceremony at the Government Complex in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
By Kim Hyun-bin
Claudio Raul Monzon Baeza, Cuba’s newly appointed ambassador to Korea, formally began his role on Tuesday after presenting his credentials in a ceremony at the Government Complex in Seoul.
Monzon’s arrival marks a significant step in the deepening diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok, who presided over the credential presentation ceremony, welcomed nine new ambassadors, including representatives from China and Cuba.
Monzon, who arrived in Seoul on Sunday, will focus on establishing Cuba’s first embassy in Korea, with plans to complete the process within the first half of the year.
This development follows the establishment of diplomatic ties on Feb. 14 last year, when the two nations exchanged diplomatic notes through their United Nations missions in New York.
The Korean government also plans to open an embassy in Havana in the coming months, pending agrément for its ambassador-designate.
Monzon's credentials were presented amid Korea's political turmoil. The acting president hosted the event due to President Yoon Suk Yeol's suspension of executive powers after the National Assembly impeached him.
Despite the political turbulence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that credential presentations are standard diplomatic procedures and remain unaffected by internal transitions.
Korea has historically convened such ceremonies when five or more newly appointed ambassadors are ready to present their credentials. The last event attended by Yoon was in late October.
Korea and Cuba have taken steps to enhance bilateral cooperation since normalizing relations last year. Analysts view the embassy openings as a pivotal moment for both nations, enabling opportunities for expanded economic and cultural exchanges.
The other eight ambassadors who also formally began their roles include Antonio de Sa Benevides, ambassador of Timor-Leste, Paul Sobba Massaquoi, ambassador of Sierra Leone, Patricio Esteban Troya Suarez, ambassador of Ecuador, Diego Manuel Villanueva Martinelli, ambassador of Panama, Landry Mboumba, ambassador of Gabon, Dai Bing, ambassador of China, Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe, ambassador of Nepal and Loukas Tsokos, ambassador of Greece.
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