Switzerland Reopens Diplomatic Office in Pyongyang After Six Years

Switzerland formally reopened its diplomatic office in Pyongyang on 29 October. Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis attended the ceremony and held talks with senior North Korean officials during a two-day visit.

The office resumed operations on 19 October. It reports to the Swiss embassy in Beijing, which continues to handle diplomatic and consular relations with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The previous presence, a humanitarian office established in 1997, closed in March 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cassis cut a red ribbon at the opening. He posted that the step marked a new chapter for Switzerland’s presence in Pyongyang and a concrete move toward stronger direct dialogue. He met Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui and Jo Yong Won, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea.

Discussions covered the normalisation of political relations, the resumption of regular dialogue, and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula. Cassis also raised broader Eurasian security questions. This was the first visit by a Swiss government minister to North Korea since 2003.

The office does not have an ambassador. It gives Switzerland a permanent political presence in the capital for the first time since the two countries established relations in 1974. Swiss officials said the timing reflects North Korea’s gradual resumption of diplomatic contacts after years of isolation.

After leaving Pyongyang, Cassis travelled to Seoul. He briefed South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Jeong Yeon-du and National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac. Both sides agreed on the importance of peace and stability on the peninsula. South Korean officials expressed interest in the Swiss office as a potential channel.

Switzerland has long maintained a limited presence on the peninsula. The reopening restores a direct line that disappeared during the pandemic. Cassis described the move as part of Switzerland’s long-standing commitment to dialogue.

No meeting with Kim Jong Un was announced. The talks stayed at the foreign ministry and party secretary level. The office will allow monitoring of regional developments and facilitate contacts that previously required travel through Beijing.

The step adds one more Western channel in Pyongyang at a moment when communication remains limited. Whether it leads to regular consultations will depend on how both sides use the restored presence in the coming months.