North Korea is poised to close as many as a dozen embassies including in Spain, Hong Kong, and multiple countries in Africa, according to media reports and analysts, in a move that could see nearly 25 percent of Pyongyang'smissions close worldwide.North Korea'srecent closing of its diplomatic missions was a sign that the reclusive country is struggling to make money overseas because of international sanctions, South Korea'sunification ministry said on Tuesday, Reuters reported.On Monday, North Korean state media outlet KCNA said the country'sambassadors paid &farewell& visits to Angolan and Ugandan leaders last week, and local media in both African countries reported the shutdown of the North'sembassies there.Both Angola and Uganda have forged friendly ties with North Korea since the 1970s, maintaining military cooperation and providing rare sources of foreign currency such as statue-building projects.The embassy closings set the stage for what could be &one of the country'sbiggest foreign policy shakeups in decades&, with implications for diplomatic engagement, humanitarian work in the isolated country, as well as the ability to generate illicit revenue, wrote Chad O&Carroll, founder of the North Korea-focused website NK Pro.More than a dozen missions may close, likely because of international sanctions, a trend of Pyongyang'sdisengaging globally and the probable weakening of the North Korean economy, he said in a report on Wednesday.Seoul'sunification ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said the pullout reflected the impact of international sanctions aimed at curbing funding for the North'snuclear and missile programs.&They appear to be withdrawing as their foreign currency earning business has stumbled due to the international community'sstrengthening of sanctions, making it difficult to maintain the embassies any longer,& the ministry said in a statement.
&This can be a sign of North Korea'sdifficult economic situation, where it is difficult to maintain even minimal diplomatic relations with traditionally friendly countries.&North Korea has formal relations with 159 countries, but had 53 diplomatic missions overseas, including three consulates and three representative offices, until it pulled out of Angola and Uganda, according to the ministry.North Korea will also shut down its embassy in Spain, with its mission in Italy handling affairs in the neighbouring country, South Korea'sYonhap news agency reported.Correspondence with the Spanish Communist Party released on the party'swebsite showed the North Korean embassy announcing the closing in a letter dated Oct.
26.The North'sembassy in Madrid was in the spotlight after members of a group seeking the overthrow of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un staged a break-in in 2019, during which they bound and gagged staff before driving off with computers and other devices.Pyongyang denounced the incident as a &grave breach of sovereignty and terrorist attack,& and accused the United States of not investigating the group thoroughly and refusing to extradite its leader.The post North Korea closes multiple embassies around the world first appeared on Ariana News.