Swiss Foreign Minister Opens Diplomatic Office in Pyongyang
Ignazio Cassis opened Switzerland's first political office in North Korea on October 30 and traveled to Seoul to discuss regional security.
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis traveled to Pyongyang on October 29-30 to formally open Switzerland's first political and diplomatic office in North Korea. The office, which resumed operations on October 19, replaces a humanitarian cooperation office that closed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. This marks the first permanent political representation for Switzerland in the country since ties were established in 1974.
During the visit, Cassis met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui to discuss regularizing political relations, reestablishing political dialogue, and addressing security challenges across Eurasia and the Korean Peninsula. Cassis described the opening as a "concrete step towards strengthening direct dialogue with the DPRK."
Following the meetings in Pyongyang, Cassis traveled to Seoul to hold talks with South Korean government officials regarding regional tensions and security. The Swiss government has expressed its readiness to serve as a mediator for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, a move that occurs while the European Union has largely frozen direct dialogue with North Korea.
