The key facts

  • Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis arrived in Pyongyang on Thursday to restore a diplomatic office
  • He called the official opening of the office “a concrete step toward strengthening direct dialogue” with the DPRK
  • It remains unclear whether the office will be a full-fledged embassy or a lower-level mission

Swiss minister arrives in Pyongyang to restore office

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis arrived in Pyongyang on Thursday to reopen his country's diplomatic office in the North Korean capital, Anadolu reports. The visit is accompanied by a call for dialogue for the sake of peace: “Dialogue remains necessary for peace and stability in the region,” Cassis said.

What is known about the mission's status and the history of relations

Cassis called the official reopening of the office on the X platform “a concrete step toward strengthening direct dialogue” with the DPRK. However, as Anadolu notes, it remains unclear whether the office will be a full-fledged embassy or a lower-level mission. Diplomatic relations between Switzerland and the DPRK were established back in 1974; Switzerland is traditionally known for its policy of international neutrality. The practical significance of restoring the office is the return of a channel of direct interaction that was previously absent; the details of its powers, however, remain beyond the available information.