Spain and South Korea reaffirmed growing ties Tuesday while marking the Spanish National Day.
Spain commemorates October 12 as the day Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas in 1492 — a national celebration that now also symbolizes Spain’s global connections and partnerships.
Speaking at the event, Spanish Ambassador to South Korea Julio Herraiz highlighted the 75th anniversary of Spanish-Korea ties and the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two nations in 2021.
“In the field of investment, Spain offers Korea a unique environment of security and stability, with very promising future prospects,” said Herraiz.
“Our bilateral trade has grown by more than 200 percent over the last decade,” underscored Herraiz, hoping for greater openness in certain aspects of the Korean market.
Herraiz noted growing Spanish investment in Korea’s renewable energy and start-up sectors, alongside deepening mutual understanding through increasing Korean tourism to Spain.
Herraiz highlighted Spain’s view of Korea as a trusted partner in addressing global challenges such as green and digital transitions, sustainability and open trade.
“Spain sees Korea as a trusted partner in tackling the major challenges of our time,” he said, referring to shared commitments to multilateralism, peace and international law.
He also pointed to joint initiatives such as coordination at the UN Human Rights Council, cooperation on responsible AI through the REAIM conferences, and collaboration on development financing at forums in Seville and Busan.
Meanwhile, Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong hailed Spain as a key partner in Korea’s global economic strategy.
“Spain is a strategic hub at the very heart of Europe’s electric vehicle and battery ecosystem, where many of our companies are actively pursuing investments,” said Lee.
He noted that Spanish firms are leading renewable energy projects in Korea, while Korean IT companies maintain a strong presence at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
“He who has a friend, has a treasure,” said Lee, concluding his remarks with a Spanish proverb that underscored how people-to-people exchanges form the foundation of the Spain-Korea relationship.
sanjaykumar@heraldcorp.com
