S. Korea, Cuba need to realize full potential: FM

SEOUL, June 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Cuba should work together to fully realize their potential, Seoul's top diplomat said Tuesday upon returning from a trip to the Caribbean nation.

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se visited Havana on Saturday for a two-day stay during which he attended a summit of the Association of Caribbean States and held bilateral talks with his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez.

Yun was the first South Korean foreign minister to visit Cuba, one of few countries with which the Asian nation has yet to establish diplomatic relations.

"I stressed (during the foreign ministerial talks) that we need to make various efforts to further realize the potential between our two countries," he told reporters upon arriving at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. "(We) will go in that direction."

Yun's visit was symbolic of Seoul's push to normalize ties with Havana, a staunch ally of communist North Korea.

"We held meaningful talks," Yun said of his meeting with Rodriguez. "It was a first step, but I plan to strengthen our efforts for the development of bilateral ties through various follow-up talks and by increasing (bilateral) exchanges."

hague@yna.co.kr
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