North Korea mum on establishment of South Korea-Cuba ties

Pyongyang's delegate at a forum in Russia focused instead on close ties with Moscow.

Then South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, center let, holds a diplomatic talks with his then Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez, center right, in Havana on June 5, 2016, the first of its kind. [YONHAP]

North Korea has so far remained mum on South Korea's forging of formal diplomatic relations with Cuba, its longtime fraternal partner, and is instead highlighting its recent exchanges with Russia.

Pyongyang's state media reported Sunday that Kim Su-gil, an alternate member of the political bureau of its ruling Workers' Party, met with Dmitri Medvedev, head of the ruling United Russia party, in a visit to Russia last week.

Kim, chief secretary of the Pyongyang Municipal Committee, led a Workers' Party delegation to attend an international forum on the theme of "For Freedom of Nations," held from Thursday to Saturday, reported the North's official KCNA on Sunday. This event was attended by Russia and some 55 friendly countries.

Medvedev, a former Russian prime minister, expressed deep thanks to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for sending a delegation to forum and asked Kim Su-gil to convey the sincerest greetings of Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the KCNA.

It reported that the North Korean delegation met with representatives of countries including China, Laos, Moldova and Myanmar, but didn't mention Cuba.

Kim Su-gil in a speech at the event called Russia "brother," stressing a fraternal relationship with the Russian people and soldiers who are fighting at against U.S.-led hegemony.

This comes as North Korea is likely stunned by what can be perceived as a betrayal by Cuba, a fellow communist country that weathered the Cold War era and shares similar socialist ideologies. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1960 and have touted their "fraternal solidarity" after signing a bilateral friendship and cooperation treaty in March 1986 to mark then-Cuban President Fidel Castro's visit to Pyongyang.

Last Wednesday, South Korea and Cuba established diplomatic relations in New York in a surprise move. The two countries' representatives to the United Nations exchanged diplomatic notes to formalize the process after years of secretive negotiations.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel issued a statement on social media recalling the "legacy" of the North's late leader Kim Jong-il as Pyongyang celebrated his 82nd birthday on Saturday, highlighting the two countries' relationship of "friendship, solidarity and brotherhood."

The move seemed mindful of Havana's intent to continue to maintain friendly ties with Pyongyang.

Pyongyang celebrated Kim Jong-il's birthday anniversary with performances and fireworks, though leader Kim Jong-un appears to have skipped a visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, a mausoleum for his late father, for the third consecutive year.

In turn, the presidential office in Seoul said Sunday that the establishment of formal bilateral diplomatic relations between South Korea and Cuba are expected to bring about great potential for economic cooperation, especially in the mineral supply chain sector.

The office in a press release said that Cuba has significant mineral deposits, mainly nickel and cobalt, essential for secondary battery production.

It added that the when U.S. sanctions are lifted, it is possible for Cuba to emerge as an emerging market.

Cuba has the world's fifth-largest reserves of nickel and fourth-largest of cobalt.

The office noted that Cuba is experiencing a shortage of basic necessities due to the U.S. trade embargo and that it would seek the advancement of South Korean companies in fields such as household goods, electronic products and mechanical equipment.

It said that South Korean companies, with strengths in the energy sector, could enter Cuba in the future, especially as Havana has prioritized overcoming a chronic power crisis as it seeks an economic recovery and an expansion into the new and renewable energy sector.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]