S. Korea, Cuba to keep 'mutually beneficial' ties

The top diplomats of South Korea and Cuba agreed to continue efforts for close ties between the two nations during their talks in Havana this week, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday.

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha sat down with her Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez, on the margins of an Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) session there on Thursday (local time).

They exchanged views on issues of mutual concern, including ways to improve relations between their countries, expand substantive cooperation and security conditions on the Korean Peninsula, according to the ministry.

In particular, it added, they took note of the constant spread of exchanges in the economic, cultural, sports and development fields.

They agreed to "continue mutually beneficial cooperation," said the ministry.

Seoul and Havana have no formal diplomatic ties, as the Caribbean country has long maintained a relatively close relationship with North Korea.

Attending the 37th ECLAC meeting, which has "Inefficiency of Inequality" as its theme, Kang talked about South Korea's related economic and social policies.

She also signed an accord on promoting trade and sustainable urban and rural development in the region with a view to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It was co-inked by ECLAC's Executive Secretary Alicia Barcena.

ECLAC has 46 member states, including the U.S., Japan and Germany.