North Korea's Top Diplomat Visits Sweden Amid Summit Talks
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Sweden’s Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom is hosting her North Korean counterpart, Ri Yong Ho, for talks on Sweden’s role as a so-called protecting power for the U.S. and the security situation on the Korean peninsula.
The visit comes as U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean president Kim Jong Un are considering holding what would be an unprecedented summit. Sweden has a special role in relations between the two countries since it has an embassy in North Korea and acts as a protecting power for the U.S.
Ri Yong Ho
“The UN Security Council has condemned North Korea’s nuclear and robot program and demanded its complete, verifiable and irreversible abolition,” Sweden’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “The Security Council has also emphasized the need for intensified diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.”
The visit “aims to contribute to the effective implementation of these resolutions,” according to the statement. A press release summarizing the talks will be published after discussions have been finished, in the evening on March 16, the ministry said.