Swiss Foreign Minister Visits North Korea for the First Time Since 2003, Diplomatic Office Reopened
Switzerland has officially reopened its diplomatic representation in North Korea, with Ignazio Cassis becoming the first Swiss foreign minister to visit the country since 2003.
Cassis was in Pyongyang on October 29 and 30 before heading to Seoul. The purpose of the trip was to restore direct political dialogue with North Korea to maintain contacts with both sides of the divided peninsula.
The representation resumed operations on October 19 and is subordinate to the Swiss embassy in Beijing, which remains responsible for diplomatic and consular relations with North Korea. The previous Swiss representation in Pyongyang focused on humanitarian cooperation and was closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The two countries have maintained diplomatic relations since 1974, but regular political consultations ceased after 2019.
In Bern, it was stated that the representation would allow Switzerland to directly engage with North Korean authorities and monitor the situation in the region.
Negotiations in Pyongyang
During his visit, Cassis met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and Cho Yong-won, secretary of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee.
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His discussions with Choe focused on restoring political dialogue, security on the Korean Peninsula, and broader security challenges in Europe and Asia.
In an interview with the Swiss news agency Keystone-ATS, Cassis stated that he offered Switzerland's mediation to facilitate dialogue and reduce tensions on the peninsula. According to him, this proposal was received positively.
The North Korean state news agency KCNA reported that the ministers discussed diplomatic cooperation and international issues in a "friendly atmosphere." No details of these discussions were provided.
When asked by Euronews whether the representation could support a broader European dialogue with Pyongyang, a representative of the Swiss foreign ministry stated that there was nothing to add to Saturday's statement.
Seoul Hopes for Renewed Engagement
Cassis also visited Seoul on October 30 and 31, where he met with National Security Advisor Kim Sung-han and a senior official from the foreign ministry.
He informed them about his discussions in Pyongyang. According to the South Korean foreign ministry, Kim expressed hope that the Swiss representation would help South Korea actively engage with the North.
The visit took place amid renewed military tensions. According to the South Korean military, North Korea fired about ten short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea, a day before Seoul renewed calls for military talks to prevent accidental border clashes.
In a separate statement on Sunday, the South Korean foreign ministry stated that Foreign Minister Park Jin called for dialogue between the two Koreas at the G20 meeting in Atlanta.
Switzerland has been overseeing the armistice that has halted hostilities in the Korean War since 1953 through the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission based in Panmunjom. Cassis also met with the head of the Swiss delegation to discuss the security situation.
