Marking the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Korea and Spain will hold a variety of celebrations this year which will help expand mutual understanding and exchanges, Spanish Ambassador Gonzalo Ortiz said.

Ortiz, who started his post in Korea in October, shared his views on bilateral relations, the Spanish economy and the popularity of Spanish culture in Korea during his visit to The Korea Herald office on Wednesday.

“Spain is a middle-sized, soft-power nation with double roots to Latin America and the European Union. We have special cultural connections to Central and South American countries that other countries don’t have,” Ortiz said.

He noted Spanish culture seems to be very popular in Korea in terms of cinema, fashion, architecture, painting and literature. Over 200,000 Korean tourists visited Spain last year, a tenfold increase from 10 years ago, he said.

“I have been surprised to find so many Korean students are interested in learning Spanish, evident in the numerous Spanish language departments at Korean universities,” he said.

Spanish King Felipe VI and Korean President Park Geun-hye met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September last year, setting the stage for more cooperation, the ambassador noted.

Spain is serving as a nonpermanent member of the U.N. Security Council this year, which gives Spain decision-making powers on North Korea issues. Spain supports Korea’s unification efforts on all fronts. It is “destined to happen sooner or later,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz praised Korea’s strong presence on the international stage despite the small size of the country.

“But it is difficult for foreign companies to invest in Korea, as the Korean market is still relatively closed and riddled with regulations.”

The ambassador emphasized that Spain’s economy is set for a “remarkable recovery” this year, bouncing back from the repercussions of the 2008 global financial crisis. The gross domestic product growth rate was estimated to be 1.4 percent in 2014 ― the highest in the eurozone ― and is expected to pick up in the coming years, according to Ortiz.

“Our government has undertaken a series of reforms in the state budget, financial institutions and labor market to increase competitiveness,” he stressed. “This year may not see the end of our economic crisis, but our microeconomic performances will improve through the reforms.”

Spain has world-leading companies in infrastructure, engineering, renewable energy, biotechnology, machinery and automobile sectors. Its exports to Korea ― mainly mineral fuels, automotive parts, machinery, pharmaceutical products, clothes, pork, olive oil and wine ― amounted to $1.4 billion in 2013 and $2.5 billion in 2014.

By Joel Lee (joel@heraldcorp.com)