Swiss minister visits North Korea as Switzerland reopens diplomatic office

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis wrapped up a two-day visit to North Korea on Friday, the first by a Swiss government minister in over 20 years. He met Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui and Jo Yong Won, a secretary of the Central Committee of the ruling Korean Workers’ Party. Cassis said on social media that the talks focused on “regularising political relations and reestablishing a political dialogue”. He also discussed security on the Korean Peninsula and broader Eurasian security challenges.

On Thursday, Switzerland formally reopened its diplomatic office in North Korea, which had closed in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The office has been operational since October 19 and will not have an ambassador. It reports to the Swiss embassy in Beijing, which handles diplomatic and consular relations with North Korea. The Swiss Foreign Ministry said the office will help strengthen direct contacts with North Korean authorities and support political dialogue.

Cassis, who is also Switzerland’s vice president, crossed into South Korea on Friday for the final leg of his regional trip. According to the Swiss foreign ministry, his talks in Seoul will focus on peninsula security, prospects for easing tensions and bilateral ties. Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz also visited the inter-Korean border, expressing hope that Korea would one day have the chance to regain its national unity.

North Korea’s state news agency KCNA confirmed Cassis’s arrival but gave no details on the purpose of the visit. There has been no report of a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Switzerland’s involvement on the Korean Peninsula dates back more than 70 years, including through its role on the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission.