China’s new ambassador to North Korea takes up post
- Wang Yajun was nominated to the role more than 2 years ago, but Covid-19 controls delayed his arrival
- Wang is the first foreign diplomat allowed into the country since January 2020
China has confirmed that its new ambassador to North Korea has taken up his post following a 15-month gap caused by Covid-19 controls.
Wang Yajun was appointed more than two years ago, but the Chinese foreign ministry only confirmed his arrival in Pyongyang on Monday.
Wang was the first foreign diplomat to arrive in the country since January 2020.
“We believe that Ambassador Wang Yajun’s assumption of office will play an important role in promoting the development of the traditional friendship and cooperation between China and North Korea,” Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry, said.
“China and North Korea are friendly neighbours sharing mountains and rivers. In recent years, under the strategic leadership of the top leaders of the two countries, China-DPRK [the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] relations have entered a new historical period and continued to move forward.”