Pyongyang: North Korea has received a total of US$2.38 million in international aid so far this year, all of it from Switzerland, United Nations data showed Friday. Switzerland has taken a leading role in providing financial support to North Korea, reflecting a significant international cooperation effort amid ongoing challenges.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Switzerland has committed the aid to North Korea for this year, with $1.1 million to be delivered through the U.N. Children's Fund, and the remainder via the Swiss Development Cooperation and Swiss Humanitarian Aid. This substantial contribution is documented in the Financial Tracking Service of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
International aid to North Korea has undergone a significant decline over recent years. The aid dropped from $41.88 million in 2020 to $13.78 million in 2021, then further decreased to $2.31 million in 2022 and $1.49 million in 2023. These reductions coincided with North Korea's complete border closures and the banning of international organization staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the pandemic's impact began to subside, international assistance to North Korea experienced a slight recovery last year, reaching $2.81 million. Since August 2023, North Korea has reopened its borders, prompting Sweden to reinstate its diplomats to its embassy in North Korea last year, marking the first Western diplomatic presence since the COVID-19 border closure.
In February, Switzerland took an additional step by appointing a new ambassador to serve in North Korea, further solidifying diplomatic ties and humanitarian support during these challenging times.