Pyongyang:Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis has arrived in North Korea as Switzerland inaugurates its first diplomatic office in the country. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Cassis was welcomed upon his arrival in Pyongyang by officials from the North Korean foreign ministry and the North's ambassador to Switzerland.
According to Yonhap News Agency, while the KCNA did not provide further details about the purpose of Cassis's visit or his itinerary, the Swiss government disclosed that his two-day trip, starting on Thursday, is to attend the official reopening of Switzerland's diplomatic office in Pyongyang and to hold political discussions with North Korean officials.
Following his visit to North Korea, Cassis is scheduled to travel to Seoul to meet with South Korean government officials. This visit is part of Switzerland's ongoing commitment to fostering peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Switzerland's new diplomatic office in Pyongyang represents the first political and diplomatic establishment in the city since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1974. The Swiss government emphasized its desire to maintain direct dialogue with North Korea, even on matters of disagreement, against a backdrop of heightened tensions and limited international engagement.
Previously, Switzerland had an office for humanitarian cooperation in Pyongyang, which was opened in 1997 but subsequently closed in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.