Switzerland has officially resumed direct diplomatic contacts with North Korea amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula, with South Korea hoping that the Swiss presence will help reopen dialogue with Pyongyang. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis became the first head of the country's foreign ministry to visit North Korea since 2003. He was in Pyongyang on October 29 and 30 before travelling to Seoul.
In a statement released on Saturday, Switzerland's Foreign Ministry said the visit aimed to restore direct political dialogue with North Korea and maintain contact with both sides of the divided peninsula. According to Euronews, the Swiss diplomatic office in Pyongyang resumed operations on October 19. It operates under 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 but was closed in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Switzerland and North Korea have maintained diplomatic relations since 1974, although regular political consultations between the two countries came to a halt after 2019. Bern said the reopened office would allow Switzerland to engage directly with North Korean authorities and monitor developments in the region.
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