Croatia set to open embassy in Seoul

Croatia is preparing to open an embassy in Seoul next month, spurred by an increase in Korean tourists there, a diplomatic source said on Thursday.

“It will open in Myeong-dong in late October,” the source said, referring to a bustling district in central Seoul.

The embassy is expected to focus on handling consular affairs and expanding bilateral ties amid growing Korean interest in the Eastern European country. Its embassy in Japan has covered major diplomacy with Korea.

Korea has an embassy in Zagreb, the Croatian capital. The two sides established diplomatic relations in 1992.

Croatia has a consulate here for diplomatic representation.

The number of Korean visitors to Croatia jumped to around 470,000 in 2017 from roughly 46,000 in 2012. One catalyst for this increase was a 2013 tvN travel show, “Sisters Over Flowers,” that featured a group of female celebrities traveling there.

Croatia is also known as a filming location for HBO’s “Game of Thrones” series.

Earlier this month, Korea’s flagship carrier, Korean Air, launched a regular flight service between Incheon and Zagreb. It operates a 218-seat passenger plane three times a week.

Croatia’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and its embassy in Japan did not respond to an email from Yonhap about the news.

Yonhap