A team from the German Foreign Ministry has been sent to North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, and a resolution has yet been taken on the reopening of the Berlin embassy there.
The state, already isolated, definitively closed its borders at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, which broke out in neighboring China.
A spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry told DW that a team was sent to Pyongyang to conduct a purely technical inspection of the facility.
The embassy, like those of many other countries, was closed in March 2020 due to staff turnover and delivery issues due to the COVID-19 crisis.
North Korea has adopted some of the world’s strictest measures during the coronavirus pandemic, adding near-total travel bans and the structure of border walls.
The country has recently begun easing restrictions on foreign travel, with the first arrival of foreign tourists to the country earlier this month.
The German Embassy premises are located in the Munsudong district of Pyongyang and feature apartment buildings used as accommodation for deployed German personnel.
The buildings were owned by East Germany and were also used by British, French and Swedish diplomatic missions before the pandemic.
Sweden and the United Kingdom are also reportedly exploring the possibility of reopening their diplomatic missions in North Korea.
The Reuters news firm quoted a Swedish representative as saying there were hopes of re-establishing the embassy “relatively soon. “The source declined to give additional details due to the sensitivity of the discussions.
According to the Seoul-based NK Pro that studies North Korea, only nine countries had embassies in operation in Pyongyang as of January 2023.
Only China, Russia, Mongolia and Cuba have been allowed to rotate in their embassies since last year.
While you’re here: Every Tuesday, DW’s editorial staff takes stock of German political and social news. You can sign up here for the weekly Berlin Briefing.
Edited by: Sean M. Sinico