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

Switzerland has officially reopened its diplomatic office in North Korea, marking the first Swiss foreign ministerial visit to the country since 2003. Ignazio Cassis assumed this role on October 29 and 30, before heading to Seoul. The Swiss foreign ministry aimed to reestablish direct political dialogue with North Korea through this visit, as part of its efforts to maintain contact with both sides of the divided peninsula.

The diplomatic office returned to operation on October 19, under the jurisdiction of Switzerland's embassy in Beijing, which continues to handle diplomatic and consular relations with North Korea. Following the closure of the previous office in Pyongyang during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Switzerland sought to play a direct role in dealing with North Korean authorities and monitoring regional developments.

During his visit to Pyongyang, Cassis met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui and Jo Yong Won, secretary of the Workers' Party's Central Committee. Their discussions centered on restoring political dialogue, addressing security concerns on the Korean Peninsula, and tackling broader security challenges in Europe and Asia. Cassis proposed Swiss assistance in facilitating dialogue to ease tensions on the peninsula, which appeared to be positively received by North Korean officials.

Speaking to Swiss news agency Keystone-ATS, Cassis expressed hope that Switzerland's office could support broader European dialogue with North Korea. South Korea, meanwhile, welcomed the renewed engagement, with National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac and senior foreign ministry official Jeong Yeon-du meeting Cassis in Seoul. Jeong conveyed his optimism about the Swiss office's potential contribution to South Korea's engagement with North Korea.

The visit took place amid heightened military tensions, with North Korea launching approximately ten short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea on October 31, following Seoul's renewed call for military talks to prevent accidental border clashes. South Korea's foreign ministry urged support for dialogue between the two Koreas during a G20 meeting in Atlanta.

Switzerland has long contributed to the armistice that halted the Korean War in 1953 through the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, headquartered in Panmunjom. Cassis also met with the head of the Swiss delegation to discuss the security situation.