North Korea Recalls Ambassador from London, Downgrades Diplomatic Relations with UK
North Korea has recalled its ambassador from London in protest against recent UK sanctions and downgraded its diplomatic ties with Britain to the level of chargé d’affaires until further notice. This decision was made after the UK placed the ‘Songdowon International Children’s Camp’ on its sanctions list.
The Pyongyang embassy in London announced in a statement given to NK News that Ambassador Mun Myong Shin will return to North Korea until the sanctions on the Songdowon camp are lifted. According to the statement, the diplomatic representation has also been reduced to the level of chargé d’affaires.
In May, Britain included the camp in its sanctions targeting youth programs allegedly run by Kremlin-led entities involved in the forced transfer and ideological re-education of Ukrainian children. So far, London has not commented on North Korea’s recall of its ambassador or provided further details about this move.
The North Korean embassy described the UK’s actions as “immoral and politically motivated,” claiming the measures aim to weaken Pyongyang’s relations with Moscow and damage North Korea’s international reputation. The North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously called the imposed sanctions “hostile” and warned that London would bear the consequences.
Meanwhile, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has declined to respond to media inquiries regarding the status of the North Korean ambassador. It is worth noting that the UK appointed a new ambassador to North Korea last year, but the British embassy in Pyongyang has remained closed since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
