Switzerland Plans to Reopen Diplomatic Office in North Korea, Emphasizes Need for Political Dialogue

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis announced his country’s intention to open a diplomatic office in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, in order to maintain direct political communication channels. This came in a post by Cassis on his X (formerly Twitter) account following his meeting with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui during his visit to Pyongyang, in which he confirmed that the talks addressed the normalization of political relations and the re-establishment of political dialogue between the two countries.

Cassis clarified that the objective of opening the diplomatic office is to support Switzerland’s efforts in good offices, emphasizing the necessity of enhancing dialogue as a fundamental element for achieving peace and stability in the region. He added that the two sides exchanged views on security conditions on the Korean Peninsula and broader security challenges in the Eurasian region.

In a separate post, the Swiss Foreign Minister announced his visit to the South Korean capital, Seoul, to discuss bilateral relations, regional security, and opportunities to enhance dialogue.

Switzerland had previously opened a cooperation office in Pyongyang in 1997, focusing on humanitarian aid. However, these programs were suspended since March 2020 following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, after North Korea imposed isolation measures that prevented foreign staff from entering its territory.

Relations between Switzerland and North Korea date back to 1953, when the United Nations Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) appointed Switzerland to monitor the armistice demarcation line separating the two Koreas after the end of the Korean War. This mission marked the first overseas deployment of the Swiss Armed Forces, according to the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs website.

Switzerland established diplomatic relations with North Korea in 1974. It also hosted in Geneva from 1997 to 1999 four-party talks involving the two Koreas, China, and the United States, along with three other important meetings between Washington and Pyongyang that addressed the normalization of bilateral relations and the preparation of conditions for resuming six-party talks on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.