North Korea closes its embassy in Spain as well
It has been reported that North Korea has permanently closed its embassy in Madrid, the capital of Spain, following similar closures in several African countries.
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According to a report by the South Korea-based news agency Yonhap, citing a diplomatic document, the Pyongyang administration has closed its embassy in Madrid and stated that the Embassy in Rome will take over operations in Spain.
While North Korea did not provide a reason for the decision, media outlets have commented that this move is "linked to the economic crisis Pyongyang is experiencing due to global sanctions."
North Korea, which established diplomatic relations with Spain in 2001, had opened an embassy there in 2013.
North Korea's first Ambassador to Madrid, Kim Hyok-chol, was declared "persona non grata" and expelled in 2017 due to Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests.
North Korea had also recently closed its embassies in Angola and Uganda and recalled its ambassadors.