North Korea Announces Closure of Multiple Embassies Globally

By IndraStra Global News Team

Cover Image Attribute: The file photo of The North Korean Embassy in Madrid, dated 2019 / Source: Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images.

Recent media reports and analysis suggest that North Korea is on the brink of closing a significant number of its embassies worldwide, including those in Spain, Hong Kong, and various African nations, indicating a potentially dramatic shift in its foreign policy. These developments, if realized, could result in the closure of nearly 25 percent of North Korea's diplomatic missions across the globe.
The decision to shutter several embassies signals the economic challenges North Korea faces in generating revenue abroad, primarily due to the stringent international sanctions imposed on the reclusive nation. South Korea's unification ministry commented on this situation, highlighting that North Korea is encountering difficulties in sustaining its diplomatic presence due to the economic impact of these sanctions.
North Korea's state media outlet, KCNA, reported on Monday that the country's ambassadors had made "farewell" visits to Angolan and Ugandan leaders in the preceding week. Subsequently, local media in both African countries confirmed the closure of North Korean embassies on their soil. Angola and Uganda have had diplomatic ties with North Korea since the 1970s, maintaining military cooperation and participating in projects such as statue-building, providing valuable foreign currency to the isolated nation.
The imminent closure of multiple embassies could mark one of the most significant shifts in North Korea's foreign policy in decades. This development has far-reaching implications for diplomatic engagement, humanitarian work within the country, and North Korea's ability to generate illicit revenue. Chad O'Carroll, the founder of the North Korea-focused website NK Pro (North Korea Professional Research Platform), noted that over a dozen missions may be closed, primarily due to the influence of international sanctions, North Korea's disengagement from the global stage, and the apparent weakening of its economy.
The South Korean Unification Ministry, responsible for inter-Korean affairs, pointed out that the embassy closures were a consequence of international sanctions aimed at cutting off funding for North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. The ministry stated, "They appear to be withdrawing as their foreign currency earning business has stumbled due to the international community's strengthening of sanctions, making it difficult to maintain the embassies any longer. This can signify North Korea's difficult economic situation, where it is challenging to maintain even minimal diplomatic relations with traditionally friendly countries."
North Korea, which has formal relations with 159 countries, maintained 53 diplomatic missions overseas, including three consulates and three representative offices, until it withdrew from Angola and Uganda. As part of this downsizing, North Korea is also set to close its embassy in Spain, with its mission in Italy taking over affairs in the neighboring country.
The closure of the North Korean embassy in Madrid gained notoriety in 2019 when a group seeking the overthrow of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un staged a break-in at the embassy. During the incident, the assailants bound and gagged embassy staff before making off with computers and other devices. Pyongyang vehemently denounced the act as a "grave breach of sovereignty and a terrorist attack." It accused the United States of not conducting a thorough investigation into the group responsible and refusing to extradite its leader 

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