Seoul: Unification Minister Chung Dong-young met with Swedish Ambassador Karl-Olof Andersson in Seoul to discuss enhancing cooperation and addressing issues on the Korean Peninsula, as stated by his office.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Chung expressed gratitude for Sweden’s diplomatic efforts to ease inter-Korean tensions and promote peace on the peninsula. He noted that Sweden’s diplomatic ties and embassy in Pyongyang position it uniquely to facilitate dialogue resumption on the peninsula.
Chung emphasized the importance of continued collaboration between South Korea and Sweden, highlighting Sweden’s diplomatic network and trusted relationship with North Korea. Andersson affirmed Sweden’s commitment to maintaining close communication with Seoul on North Korea-related matters.
Sweden, which established diplomatic relations with North Korea in 1973, has acted as a mediator between Washington and Pyongyang. It hosted working-level nuclear talks in 2019 involving U.S. and Korean envoys prior to the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Ambassador Andersson, one of the few diplomats to have served in both Koreas, was the ambassador to North Korea from 2012 to 2014.