Embassy of Sweden, Pyongyang explained

Embassy of Sweden, Pyongyang
Location:Pyongyang
Address:Munsudong 3
Taedonggang District
Pyongyang
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Coord:39.0231°N 125.7921°W
Opening:1975
Ambassador:Andreas Bengtsson

The Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang is Sweden's diplomatic mission in North Korea, which is located in the country's capital Pyongyang. The Swedish Embassy was one of the first embassies in North Korea, opening in 1975. The ambassador since July 2021 is Andreas Bengtsson. Until 2001, Sweden was the only Western country with uninterrupted diplomatic representation in the city. The Swedish embassy serves as the protecting power for the United States and as consular representation for Australia, Canada, Italy, Latvia,[1] Iceland and Finland.

History

See also: Sweden-North Korea relations. The embassy was opened in 1975 and the first ambassador with the title chargé d'affaires was Erik Cornell (1975–1977).[2] The Swedish embassy in Pyongyang is today co-located with the French, British embassy and the German embassy in the former embassy building for East Germany. On September 16, 2010, Barbro Elm handed over her letter of credence to North Korean President Kim Yong-nam.[3] She was the only embassador from a Western country until 2001.[4]

On 9 December 2010, the Government Offices announced that the embassy was in danger of being closed down due to the cuts to be made to the Government Offices' costs.[5] On 26 April 2012, Karl-Olof Andersson, current Rector of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' diplomatic program and secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Admissions Committee, was appointed new ambassador in the autumn of 2012.[6] On 2 October 2012, Andersson handed over his credentials to Kim Yong-nam in a ceremony that took place in the Mansudae Congress Hall.[7]

In 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the diplomats were withdrawn temporarily. The embassy remained open and is staffed by local employees.[8]

Chiefs of mission

See main article: List of ambassadors of Sweden to North Korea.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Korejas Tautas Demokrātiskā Republika Ārlietu ministrija . 2024-01-29 . www.mfa.gov.lv . lv.
  2. News: Hajek . Danny . December 4, 2017 . How 1,000 Volvos Ended Up In North Korea — And Made A Diplomatic Difference . . April 9, 2021.
  3. Web site: Sveriges ambassadör träffar Nordkoreas statschef . . October 30, 2010 . December 6, 2010 . sv . https://web.archive.org/web/20101027051815/http://www.regeringen.se/sb/d/12669/a/152686 . October 27, 2010.
  4. News: Roden . Lee . March 16, 2018 . What exactly is Sweden doing in North Korea? . . April 10, 2021.
  5. News: Munck . Anders . December 9, 2010 . Regeringen nedröstad . The government voted down . sv . . April 9, 2021.
  6. Web site: Ny ambassadör till Nordkorea och ny chef för Sveriges delegation i OSSE . April 26, 2012 . New ambassador to North Korea and new head of Sweden's delegation to the OSCE . sv . April 9, 2021 . Ministry of Foreign Affairs. https://web.archive.org/web/20120606080733/http://www.regeringen.se/sb/d/16087/a/191692 . 2012-06-06 .
  7. Web site: Sweden's new ambassador meets with North Korea's head of state . Swedish Embassy of Pyongyang . December 6, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130523131114/http://www.swedenabroad.com/sv-SE/Ambassader/Pyongyang/Aktuellt/Nyheter/Sveriges-nye-ambassador-traffar-Nordkoreas-statschef/ . April 9, 2021. 2013-05-23 .
  8. News: August 18, 2020 . Sweden temporarily pulls its diplomats out of North Korea . . April 9, 2021.