Seoul, November 3 (RHC) – Oh Young-ho, CEO of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), has received an award in Cuba for his role in promoting economic and cultural exchanges between the Republic of Korea and the Caribbean nation, the Korea Times journal reported.

Oh received the Jose Martí Award from the Cultural Society Jose Martí during a brief ceremony in Havana. The award is given to non-Cuban nationals contributing to improving relations between Cuba and their home countries. Past recipients of the award include Chinese President Xi Jingping and late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency KOTRA, which operates a branch office in Havana, has been playing a pivotal role in expanding bilateral trade between Korea and Cuba since 2012. In addition, the agency has brought popular Korean dramas into Cuba to have them aired them on national television in cooperation with the Cultural Society Jose Martí.

KOTRA also opened a Korean language course for young hallyu fans in Cuba, and organized other events to boost cultural exchanges between the two countries, the newspaper adds.

The Korean cultural wave sweeping Latin America has helped improve Korea's image in the Caribbean nation and increase the sales of made-in-Korea products there, a report by KOTRA recently said.

"It is not easy for Korean companies to enter and establish a foothold in countries like Cuba,” Oh said after receiving the award. "However, we will continue to organize a wide range of events to boost cultural exchanges and form stronger economic ties between the two nations.”

KOTRA has set up a promotion booth at the 2014 Havana International Fair from November 2nd to the 5th to inform people about Korea. It has also dispatched a group of its employees to study the Cuban consumer market and help local firms advance into the country.