North Korea is preparing to shut down up to a dozen of its embassies worldwide, including those in countries like Spain, Hong Kong, and several African nations. The closures could mean that almost 25% of Pyongyang’s worldwide missions will cease operations.
As per a Reuters report, these closures are indicative of North Korea’s financial struggles, exacerbated by international sanctions that have hampered its ability to generate income abroad.
On Monday, North Korean state media outlet KCNA reported that the country’s ambassadors had made “farewell” visits to the leaders of Angola and Uganda last week. Both African nations confirmed the shutdowns of North Korean embassies.
According to Chad O’Carroll, founder of the North Korea-focused website NK Pro, these closures could result in “one of the country's biggest foreign policy shakeups in decades”.
South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, stated that the pullout demonstrates the impact of sanctions targeting funding for North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.
Reportedly, North Korea will also close its embassy in Spain, with its mission in Italy handling affairs in the neighboring country. This information was disclosed by South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. The North Korean embassy in Madrid was previously in the limelight following a break-in in 2019 by a group seeking to overthrow North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
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