North Korea has recalled its newly appointed ambassador to the UK, Mun Myong-shin, in protest against British sanctions on the Songdowon International Children’s Union Camp. The camp is allegedly linked to Russia’s forced deportation of Ukrainian children.
On Wednesday, NK News, a U.S.-based media outlet focusing on North Korean affairs, reported this development based on a statement from the North Korean embassy in London. The embassy announced that Ambassador Mun was recalled in response to the UK’s unfriendly and hostile actions. It further stated that diplomatic relations with the UK would be downgraded to the chargé d’affaires level until the unjust sanctions on the Songdowon Camp are lifted.
The embassy emphasized that the future of bilateral relations hinges entirely on the British government’s attitude.
Ambassador Mun had been appointed in late April, just before the sanctions were announced. The North Korean embassy in the UK had been closed for four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but discussions about mutual reopening had been ongoing since early 2024 to improve bilateral relations.
Last year, the UK appointed Simon Wood, a seasoned diplomat with 30 years of experience, as its new ambassador to North Korea. However, Wood has not yet assumed his post in Pyongyang.
On May 11, the British government included the Songdowon Camp in its sanctions package against Russia. The UK alleged that the camp supported and participated in Russia’s program for the forced deportation and re-education of Ukrainian children.
The sanctions target various Russian entities and individuals accused of forcibly relocating and indoctrinating children from Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine.
In response, a spokesperson for North Korea’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on May 15, accusing the UK of reckless actions that have tarnished the country’s international reputation. The statement further claimed that the UK had baselessly linked its children’s camp to the so-called issue of forced relocation of Ukrainian children. It concluded by asserting that North Korea has every right to respond to London’s malicious behavior for infringing upon the rights of their most cherished children.