GENEVA: Switzerland’s Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis on Friday discussed normalizing political relations with North Korea during a visit to Pyongyang, after formally opening a diplomatic office in the country.
Cassis met his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui in Pyongyang, he said on X.
“We discussed reopening the Swiss diplomatic office in a new format, regularising political relations and reestablishing a political dialogue,” said Cassis, who is Switzerland’s vice president.
“We also exchanged views on security on the Korean peninsula and broader Eurasian security challenges.”
The diplomatic office, which has been operational since October 19 and was formally opened Thursday, will not have an ambassador.
It reports to Switzerland’s embassy in Beijing, which handles diplomatic and consular relations with North Korea.
Cassis is visiting both North and South Korea on his three-day trip, which began on Thursday.
“This office will help to strengthen direct contacts with the authorities of the DPRK and support political dialogue with them,” the foreign ministry said.
Bern said that against a backdrop of heightened tensions and limited international contacts with North Korea, it intended to maintain its commitment to the region, having been one of few Western countries to maintain a dialogue with Pyongyang.
