00:00Switzerland has formally reopened its diplomatic office in North Korea as Ignacio Cassis became
00:07the first Swiss foreign minister to visit the country since 2003.
00:13Cassis visited Pyongyang on 29 and 30 October before travelling to Seoul.
00:19In a statement issued during the weekend, the Swiss foreign ministry said the trip aimed
00:24to restore direct political dialogue with Pyongyang as it looks to maintain contact with
00:30both sides of the divided peninsula. The office, which restarted operations in October, falls
00:37under the Swiss Embassy in Beijing, which remains responsible for diplomatic and consular relations
00:43with North Korea. The restoration of relations comes amid renewed military tensions in the
00:49Korean Peninsula after North Korea fired around 10 short-range ballistic missiles towards the
00:57sea last Thursday, according to South Korea's military.
01:01Switzerland helped monitor the armistice that halted fighting in the Korean War since 1953.
01:07The two countries have maintained diplomatic relations since 1974, but regular political consultations
01:15the peace stopped after 2019.
