North Korea–Serbia relations (Korean: 쓰르비아-조선민주주의인민공화국관계, Serbian: Односи између Србије и Северне Кореје|Odnosi između Srbije i Severne Koreje) are the bilateral relations between Serbia and North Korea.The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea had established diplomatic relations on October 30, 1948. Relations had been very close during the time of Josip Broz Tito and Kim Il Sung. Both leaders had taken a neutral stance during the Sino-Soviet split and maintained friendly relations with both the Soviet Union and China.[1] Both Serbia and North Korea are members of the Non-Aligned Movement. Yugoslavia, of which Serbia was a part, was one of the movement's founding members. Both countries closed their embassies in each other's capitals in October and November 2001, respectively, for financial reasons. Nevertheless, they continue to enjoy a close relationship. The Serbian Embassy to North Korea is accredited from Beijing, China, and the North Korean embassy to Serbia is accredited from Bucharest, Romania.
Under President Slobodan Milosevic, Serbia had a very close relationship with North Korea. It was rumoured that North Korean students came to study in Belgrade. Yet trade between Yugoslavia and North Korea was very limited, worth roughly 1.37 million Euros.
During the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, the North Korean government strongly condemned NATO action against Serbia. The North Korean foreign minister Paek Man Sun expressed his full support of the Serbian government against NATO, and urged the world community to prevent the United States from using military force in Kosovo.[2] [3]
In February 2000, a Workers' Party of Korea delegation participated in the fourth congress of the Socialist Party of Serbia, and representative Kim Man Ik delivered a speech condemning American imperialism in the Yugoslav Wars, and expressed his solidarity with the Serbian government and Slobodan Milošević. Regarding Serbia's military action in Kosovo, Kim said, "The people and armed forces of Yugoslavia, determined to defend to the end the sovereignty of the country, turned out valiantly in a sacred war against the aggression of the US-led NATO forces and fully demonstrated to the rest of the world their indefatigable will and heroic stamina."[4]
In March 2017, North Korean Ambassador Ri Pyong Du visited Belgrade and reaffirmed North Korea's support of Serbia's position on Kosovo. Here Serbian foreign minister Ivica Dacic stressed the need for a diplomatic solution to the North Korean crisis.[5]