North Korea closes Spanish embassy...may withdraw up to 12 overseas diplomatic establishments - South Korean report

North Korea has also decided to close its embassy in Spain. Up to 12 diplomatic missions around the world are expected to close, including in Angola, Uganda and Hong Kong, where the withdrawal has already been decided.
. 1st (local time) According to US media specializing in North Korea, NK News, Reuters, etc., the Spanish People's Communist Party (PCPE) posted a statement with the name of the North Korean embassy on its website on the 28th of last month.
and announced that the North Korean embassy in Madrid, Spain, will be closed. He also informed that all matters related to Spain will be handled by the embassy in Italy.
NK News, citing PCPE officials, said that the North Korean embassy in Spain was facing enormous administrative and logistical difficulties in carrying out basic operations, and that the United States, the European Union, and other international
He pointed out that society's sanctions against North Korea led to the decision to close the embassy. PCPE Secretary General said, ``We received a call from Seo Yun-seok, acting ambassador of the North Korean Embassy in Spain, informing us of the embassy's closure.
"I fully understand the reasons behind making these difficult decisions," he said, adding, "The Spanish government tolerated the fascist attack on the embassy in 2019, expelled the ambassador [in 2017], etc.
"We have applied sanctions imposed by imperialism." Prior to this, North Korea closed its embassies one after another in Uganda, Angola, and other African countries. North Korea Rodong Sinmun published 3 last month.
On the 0th, it was reported that the North Korean ambassadors to Uganda and Angola visited the presidents of each country and exchanged greetings. Angola and Uganda have maintained friendly relations and military cooperation with North Korea since the 1970s.
While maintaining its power, it has also provided a source of foreign currency income through projects such as bronze statue construction. In addition, Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun reported that North Korea recently informed Chinese authorities of its intention to close its consulate in Hong Kong.
The government plans to suspend operations at more than 10 diplomatic missions overseas. Reuters also reported that up to 12 overseas diplomatic missions, including North Korean embassies around the world, are scheduled to close. North Korea's ambassador to Spain
Until news of the embassy's closure broke out, it was estimated that it had embassies in 46 countries. It has become difficult to obtain foreign currency due to international sanctions against North Korea's nuclear and missile development, and efforts are being made to reduce costs.
According to the analysis, the government is embarking on the consolidation and abolition of diplomatic establishments overseas. Tae Yong Ho, a former North Korean diplomat based in the UK, told NK News, ``The biggest reason is economic difficulties.
"We cannot afford to maintain nearly 50 embassies around the world."