North Korea Closes Multiple Embassies Around the World Indicating Economic Woes
- Dec 12, 2024
- 3 min read
By: Suhwan Park
In recent news, North Korea has decided to close multiple diplomatic missions across the globe as international sanctions continue to pressure its financial challenges. It has been confirmed by several officials that diplomatic closures have already affected Spain, Hong Kong, Angola and Uganda, but experts claim that it may close as many as 10-12 missions and embassies, which represents about twenty-five percent of its current diplomatic presence. On October 27th, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the closures claiming that this is simply North Korea’s method of reshuffling resources designed to promote its “national interests” in a changing world. He states, “effective relocation and operation of the state’s diplomatic force are part of the regular affairs conducted by sovereign states with a view to promote their national interests in external relations,” on the ministry’s website.
In 2019, North Korea’s already fragile economy turned to worse when they were badly hit by pandemic-related restrictions along with its own financial mismanagement. However, South Korean officials claim that North Korea's economic situation is similar, or has worsened, as several diplomatic closures indicate that it is now difficult to maintain even minimal diplomatic relations with traditionally friendly countries. Further, it is speculated by South Korea’s Unification Ministry that the North decided to close some of its diplomatic missions because they are facing difficulties earning foreign currency because of the international sanctions imposed over its nuclear and missile tests.
Currently, it is uncertain whether or not these steps are enough for North Korea to overcome its financial woes. However, according to Mason Richey, an associate professor at South Korea's Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, one possibility why North Korea closed off its diplomatic missions is to be able to focus their attention to where it is most profitable. For example, many speculate that North Korea has found cyber attacks, such as theft of cryptocurrency, to be a much more efficient means of acquiring money. According to a report by TMR Labs, a company that studies crypto-related financial crime, North Korean hackers have stolen more than $2 billion in crypto currencies just over the last five years. However, cyber hacking alone will not run North Korea’s economy as economic hardships and depletion of foreign currency are one of the biggest reasons for the closure of embassies abroad.
The last time North Korea closed so many of its foreign missions was in the 1990s when it was facing a severe famine. It can be presumed that the closure of foreign missions indicate that North Korea is currently facing major financial problems due to the international sanctions imposed on their nuclear and missile tests, or that they want to divert their focus on generating profit without the need of draining resources on maintaining diplomatic relations. Furthermore, experts also say that these closures signal a shift in Pyongyang’s diplomatic strategy from focusing on Non-Aligned Movement such as Angola and Uganda to a new strategy of focusing on a few key countries like China and Russia. Thae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea, claims that North Korea will bolster a new Cold War by maintaining or strengthening its bases with important countries like China, Russia, Syria, Iran and Cuba while clearing out those that are difficult and burdensome to maintain. Despite this, monitoring groups claim that there are no signs of a humanitarian crisis or a social chaos that could threaten the absolute rule by leader Kim Jong Un.
Works Cited
Comments