Ministry of Foreign Affairs (North Korea)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the government ministry of North Korea, responsible for conducting foreign relations of the country. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is in charge of the ministry.

History The Ministry was established in 1948.

In May 2024, after Kim Jong Un called for large changes in North Korea's reunification policy, Daily NK reported that the Ministry was given responsibilities for handling relations with South Korea, taking those responsibilities from the United Front Department.

Organization In addition to the foreign minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a first vice minister and seven other vice ministers. The current First Vice Minister is Kim Kye-gwan. The other vice ministers include Han Song-ryol,, Choe Hui-chol, and Kim Son Gyong.

The Ministry includes the following organization:

Internal organization

Asia Affairs Department 1: Oversees China and Japan Asia Affairs Department 2: Oversees Mongolia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Brunei, Nepal, Iran, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Indonesia, East Timor, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Nauru and Vanuatu, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). European Affairs Department 1: Oversees Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Tajikistan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Georgia European Affairs Department 2: Oversees Germany, Italy, France, Spain, United Kingdom, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, San Marino, Vatican City, Monaco, Andorra, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and is responsible for liaison with the European Council, the European Commission, the European External Action Service, and other EU headquarters. North American Affairs Department: Responsible for the United States and Canada African, Arab and Latin American Affairs Department: Responsible for Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Cabo Verde, the Gambia, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, DR Congo, Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Togo, Chad, Niger, Cote d'Ivoire, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Malawi, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros, Sao Tome and Principe, Algeria, Mauritania, Ethiopia, the Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti, Western Sahara, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Yemen, Palestine, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Guyana, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua Barbuda, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Suriname, Barbados, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, Ecuador, Bolivia, Cuba, Venezuela, Puerto Rico Department of Press and Information Department of Consular Affairs Department of Treaty and Legal Affairs Protocol Department Department of International Organizations Department of Economic Cooperation

Directly affiliated institutions

Institute for Disarmament and Peace Institute for American Studies Institute for Studies of Japan

Sponsored civil organizations

Korea-China Association for Civil Exchange Promotion Korea-Canada Cooperation Association Korea-Japan Interchange Association Association for the Promotion of International Economic and Technological *Exchange Korea-Europe Association Korea-Asia Association Korea-Russia Association for Promotion of Exchange and Cooperation Korea-Africa Association Korea-Arab Association Korea-Latin America Association

List of office holders The following is a list of foreign ministers of North Korea since its founding in 1948:

PortraitNameTerm of officeHead of statePremier Took office Left office Time in office 1 Pak Hon-yong박헌영 9 September 1948 3 March 1953 Kim Tu-bongKim Il Sung 2 Nam Il남일 3 March 1953 23 October 1959 Kim Tu-bongChoe Yong-gon 3 Pak Song-chol박성철 23 October 1959 1 July 1970 Choe Yong-gon 4 Ho Dam허담 1 July 1970 1 December 1983 Choe Yong-gonKim Il Sung Kim Il SungKim IlPak Song-cholRi Jong-ok 5 Kim Yong-nam김영남 1 December 1983 5 September 1998 Kim Il SungOffice vacant Ri Jong-okKang Song-sanRi Kun-moYon Hyong-mukKang Song-sanHong Song-nam 6 Paek Nam-sun백남순 5 September 1998 2 January 2007 Kim Yong-nam Hong Song-namPak Pong-ju — Kang Sok-ju강석주 3 January 2007 18 May 2007 Pak Pong-juKim Yong-il 7 Pak Ui-chun박의춘 18 May 2007 9 April 2014 Kim Yong-namKim Jong IlOffice vacantKim Jong Un Kim Yong-ilChoe Yong-rimPak Pong-ju 8 Ri Su-yong리수용 9 April 2014 9 May 2016 Kim Jong Un Pak Pong-ju 9 Ri Yong-ho리용호 13 May 2016 18 January 2020 Pak Pong-juKim Jae-ryong 10 Ri Son-gwon리선권 21 January 2020 11 June 2022 Kim Jae-ryongKim Tok-hun 11 Choe Son-hui최선희 11 June 2022 Incumbent Kim Tok-hunPak Thae-song

Timeline

See also List of diplomatic missions of North Korea List of diplomatic missions in North Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs (South Korea)

References

External links