Embassy of the United Kingdom, Pyongyang

The British Embassy Pyongyang is the British sovereign's diplomatic mission to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, representing the United Kingdom's interests.[2] It is located in the Munsu-dong diplomatic compound (in the Taedonggang District), where most of the diplomatic missions to North Korea are located, with the exception of the Russian and Chinese missions.[3]

The British Embassy Pyongyang
The building that houses the British, German, French and Swedish missions to North Korea
LocationNorth Korea Pyongyang, North Korea
AddressMunsu-dong Compound
Coordinates39.0225°N 125.7940°E / 39.0225; 125.7940
AmbassadorDavid Ellis[1]

It shares a building with the German, French and Swedish missions to North Korea, in what was originally the East German mission and was transferred to the government of the present Germany upon German reunification. The former East German embassy was established at a time when North Korea relied almost exclusively on the Comecon Countries, along with China, for external trade.[3]

History

The UK and North Korea had no formal diplomatic relations until 12 December 2000, when diplomatic missions in London and Pyongyang were established. James Hoare was chargé d'affaires from 2001–02 until a permanent ambassador was appointed by the UK Government:[3][4] the first full-time accredited British diplomat was James Warren. The embassy itself opened in July 2001 and the first ambassador, David Slinn, arrived in North Korea in November 2002.[2][3]

Incidents

On 5 April 2013 the North Korean government advised the British Embassy, and all other missions, that the safety of their missions could not be assured past 10 April 2013. This was part of the North Korean government's response to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2094 and deterioration of relations between North Korea and the United States.[5]

In May 2020 the embassy was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] Some other countries had their diplomats evacuated earlier in March.[6]

See also

References
  1. "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in December 2021". Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 16 December 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  2. Foreign and Commonwealth Office. "British Embassy Pyongyang". gov.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  3. Hoare, JE (2004). "A Brush with History: Opening the British Embassy Pyongyang, 2001–2002". Papers of the British Association for Korean Studies. 9. Archived from the original on 4 November 2006. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  4. James E. Hoare (11 December 2020). "Twenty Years a-Stagnating—The Lost Opportunity of Britain's Relationship With the DPRK". 38 North. The Henry L. Stimson Center. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  5. Moore, Malcolm (5 April 2013). "North Korea: we can't keep you safe, Pyongyang tells foreign embassies". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  6. "Diplomats flown out of North Korea, missions shut amid coronavirus concern". Reuters. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
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