German Diplomats to Remain Absent as Berlin Shuns North Korea’s Reopening Offer
Despite an official invitation from North Korea, the German Foreign Ministry has decided not to reopen the German embassy in Pyongyang for the time being. According to the German news magazine Spiegel, North Korea recently officially offered to allow Germany to reoccupy the diplomatic mission, which has been closed since the Covid-19 pandemic, with German diplomats.
However, the Foreign Ministry has declined the offer for the time being. The underlying reason is North Korea’s support for Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine. North Korea is providing Russia with military equipment and also sending North Korean soldiers to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.
When asked for confirmation, the Foreign Ministry acknowledged the offer, stating that Pyongyang has signalled its willingness to enable the reopening of the German embassy. The decision, however, has not yet been made.
In February 2024, a delegation from Berlin had travelled to North Korea to assess the condition of the German embassy, which is located on the premises of the former East German diplomatic mission. At the time, Berlin had expressed a strong interest in sending diplomats back to the largely isolated country.