N. Korea withdraws its embassy in Spain

It was reported that North Korea withdrew its embassy in Spain, following the recent closure of its diplomatic offices in African countries. According to the verbal note posted on the website of the Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE) on Tuesday (local time), Seo Yoon Seok, the charge d'affairs of the North Korean embassy in Spain, announced the withdrawal of the North Korean diplomatic delegation on October 26 and that the North Korean embassy in Italy would take charge of the closed embassy’s affairs. He did not disclose the reasons for the withdrawal.

“We were notified by North Korea that the country would close its embassy as a reciprocal relationship with institutions, commercial entities, and cultural groups could not be developed,” said the PCPE. The party claimed that it was the result of sanctions imposed by the North American imperialists on the officials of the European Union (EU) and the Spanish government, meaning that the EU and the Spanish government weren’t cooperative with the North. North Korea, which established diplomatic ties with Spain in 2001, faced various conflicts. The Spanish government deported the-then North Korean Ambassador Kim Hyuk Chol for North Korea’s nuclear tests and test launches of ballistic missiles in 2017.

NK Pro, a premium service of the American news website dedicated to North Korean news NK News, reported that the North will close down over 12 diplomatic offices in Uganda, Angola, Hongkong, etc. to carry out the largest reshuffles of its diplomatic policies in the last few decades. “It seems like North Korea is withdrawing its diplomatic offices as it is experiencing difficulties with earning foreign money due to the international community’s strengthening of sanctions against the country,” a member of the South Korean Ministry of Unification said.


Eun-A Cho achim@donga.com