Swiss foreign minister makes first North Korea visit since 2003 as diplomatic office reopens

Switzerland has formally reopened its diplomatic office in North Korea as Ignazio Cassis became the first Swiss foreign minister to visit the country since 2003. Cassis visited Pyongyang on 29 and 30 October before travelling to Seoul. In a statement issued on Saturday, the Swiss foreign ministry said the trip aimed to restore direct political dialogue with North Korea as it looks to maintain contact with both sides of the divided peninsula. The office restarted operations on 19 October. It falls under the Swiss embassy in Beijing, which remains responsible for diplomatic and consular relations with North Korea. Switzerland’s previous office in Pyongyang handled humanitarian cooperation and closed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.