North Korea To Close A Dozen Embassies As Sanctions Hurt Foreign Earnings: Report

North Korea is poised to close a dozen of its diplomatic missions including in Spain, Hong Kong, and other African countries as it struggles to make money due to international sanctions.

North Korea to close a dozen embassies in several countries including Spain, Hong Kong, and African nations/Representational Image

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North Korea is poised to close a dozen of its embassies overseas including in Spain, Hong Kong and other African countries, reported Reuters citing media reports and analysts. The move could see closure of neary 25 per cent of Pyingyang’s missions worldwide, the report added. 

According to South Korea's unification ministry, the North's recent closing of its diplomatic missions was a sign that the reclusive country is struggling to make money overseas due to international sanctions, the report added. 

Last week, North Korean ambassadors in Angola and Uganda paid "farewell" visits to the leaders in both the countries, reported North Korean state media outlet KCNA on Monday while local media in both the African coutnries also reported shutdown of the North Korea's embassies there. 

Since the 1970s, North Korea has forged friendy ties with both, Angola and Uganda, maintainig military cooperation and providing rare resources of foreign currency such as statue-building projects. 

Seoul's unification ministry said that the closing of Pyongyang's missions reflected the impact of international sanctions aimed at curbing funding for the nuclear and missile programmes of North Korea, stated the Reuters report quoted above.  

"They appear to be withdrawing as their foreign currency earning business has stumbled due to the international community's strengthening of sanctions, making it difficult to maintain the embassies any longer," the ministry said in a statement, as per the Reuters report. 

"This can be a sign of North Korea's difficult economic situation, where it is difficult to maintain even minimal diplomatic relations with traditionally friendly countries."

The reclusive country has formal relations with 159 countries, but has had 53 diplomatic missions overseas including three consulates and three representative offices, until it pulled out of Angola and Uganda, according to the ministry.