Belarus opens embassy in North Korea... “Focus on developing mutually beneficial relationships”

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim A-ram = Belarus opened an embassy in North Korea this month, NK News, an American media specializing in North Korea, reported on the 17th, citing an announcement from the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not disclose the exact date and location of the embassy opening or the name of the ambassador to North Korea. In addition, it was reported that an embassy was opened in Myanmar this month.

The Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "The opening of these two embassies is a result of our policy to strengthen our diplomatic presence in distant regional countries," and added, "The embassies will focus on developing mutually beneficial relations with North Korea and Myanmar."

Previously, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko made an official visit to North Korea in March, and as a follow-up measure, Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin signed a Cabinet resolution on opening an embassy in North Korea in April.

Initially, the Belarusian government pursued a plan to open an embassy in North Korea by August 1 of this year, but the schedule was slightly later than planned.

Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzenkov met with North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-kyung on the occasion of attending the United Nations General Assembly held in New York last month and also discussed issues related to opening an embassy.

Until now, Belarus has never established an embassy or dispatched a diplomatic mission to North Korea. On the other hand, North Korea has been operating a diplomatic mission in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, since 2016.

North Korean state media has not yet reported the news of the opening of an embassy in Belarus.

North Korea, which has been in close contact with Russia due to the dispatch of troops to the Ukraine war, is also strengthening relations with Belarus, a pro-Russian country.

Minister Ryzenkov said in an interview with Belarusian state television last March that President Lukashenko was working to mediate relations between the United States and North Korea.