North Korea has named four new ambassadors within two weeks, marking a significant reshuffle in diplomatic personnel since Ri Yong Nam was appointed ambassador to China in February 2021.
Last month, the North Korean Foreign Ministry appointed Ri Sung Guk as the country’s new top envoy to Vietnam and Ri Kil Song as the country’s ambassador to Singapore.
On August 1, Ri Sang Rim, the Foreign Ministry’s Director for Europe, was appointed ambassador to Romania. On August 8, Han Su Chol, Deputy Minister of the Workers’ Party, was appointed ambassador to Cuba.
A South Korean Ministry of Unification official stated, “Previously, Ri Sung Guk led the Party’s International Department, and Ri Kil Song handled Asia-related affairs in the Foreign Ministry. Both played crucial roles in North Korea’s diplomacy with China and Southeast Asia.” The official also pointed out that Ri Sang Rim had been actively involved as the director for Europe in the Foreign Ministry and served as the president of the Korean-European Association. The ministry analyzes these developments and closely monitors recent changes in North Korea.
The latest appointment has been drawing attention as it fills positions left void for an extended period. The ambassadorial role in Vietnam had been unoccupied for over five years since Kim Myong Gil, who accompanied Kim Jong Un during the Hanoi summit in February 2019, returned to North Korea in April.
North Korea has appointed an ambassador to Romania for the first time in over eight years. As Romania is a member of the European Union, this move has sparked interest among observers. They wonder if North Korea, which has primarily interacted with pro-North countries since the pandemic, is looking to reestablish diplomatic relations with Western nations gradually.
North Korea and Romania have enjoyed a friendly relationship since establishing diplomatic ties in November 1948. However, their interactions dwindled in the 1990s when Romania shifted its focus toward establishing diplomatic relations with South Korea.
Following South Korea’s establishment of diplomatic ties with Cuba this February, North Korea recalled its former ambassador to Cuba, Ma Chol Su. Some analysts interpreted this as a punitive measure. Still, the appointment of a new ambassador just five months later suggests North Korea has not abandoned its diplomatic efforts with Cuba.
In January 2020, North Korea shut its borders due to the COVID-19 outbreak, severely impacting its foreign currency earnings. This prompted a wave of closures of its overseas diplomatic missions as part of a strategic shift in its foreign policy.
The Korean Central News Agency reported that in November 2022, North Korea closed its embassies in Angola and Uganda. In October of the same year, the country shut down its embassies in Spain and its consulate in Hong Kong.
Since August 2023, North Korea has gradually started to reopen its borders, aiming to resume face-to-face diplomacy wherever possible. By July, the South Korean Unification Ministry noted North Korea was operating 44 diplomatic missions abroad, including 39 embassies, 2 consulates, and 3 representative offices.