Swiss foreign minister visits N. Korea amid opening of 1st diplomatic office
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis arrives at Pyongyang International Airport in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday. AP-Yonhap
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis has arrived in North Korea, Pyongyang's state media reported Friday, as Switzerland has opened its first diplomatic office in the North.
Cassis arrived in Pyongyang the previous day, greeted by North Korean foreign ministry officials, the North's ambassador to Switzerland and others at the airport, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The KCNA did not elaborate on other details, such as the purpose of his visit and itinerary.
The Swiss government earlier said Cassis will visit North Korea on a two-day trip from Thursday to attend the official reopening of the Swiss diplomatic office in Pyongyang and hold political talks with North Korean officials.
Cassis will then travel to Seoul to meet with South Korean government officials, the release said, noting the visit is part of "Switzerland's long-standing commitment to peace on the Korean Peninsula."
The establishment of the diplomatic office marks Switzerland's first political and diplomatic installations in Pyongyang since the two countries forged diplomatic relations in 1974.
"Against a backdrop of heightened tensions and limited international contact, Switzerland intends to continue its commitment in the region," the Swiss government said in a release. "Through its presence in Pyongyang, it aims to maintain direct dialogue, including on matters of disagreement.
Switzerland opened an office on humanitarian cooperation in Pyongyang in 1997, but it closed down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.