Mexico-North Korea relations
Map indicating locations of Mexico and North Korea

Mexico
North Korea

Mexico–North Korea relations are the current and historical relations between Mexico and North Korea. In 2017, there were 366 North Koreans residing in Mexico.

History

Mexico and North Korea established diplomatic relations on 4 September 1980; 27 years after the end of the Korean War.[1] In 1993, North Korea opened an embassy in Mexico City.[1] Initial diplomatic relations between both nations were cordial. In 1999, Mexico donated to the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization and North Korea has collaborated in projects throughout Mexico, particularly in the Mexican states of Durango, Oaxaca and Puebla.[1]

In 2003, relations between both nations came to a low when North Korea withdrew from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Since then, Mexico has repeatedly condemned all missile launches from North Korea. In June 2009, as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Mexico voted in favor of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1874 which imposed further economic and commercial sanctions on North Korea and encouraged UN member states to search North Korean cargo ships. In July 2014, a North Korean merchant ship called the Mu Du Bong ran aground and damaged nearly an acre of coral reefs near the Mexican state of Veracruz. Mexico detained the ship after discovering that it belongs to a blacklisted shipping firm.[2] The merchant ship was never released back to North Korea and in 2016 Mexico began scrapping the ship and released the crew members back to their home country.[3]

Throughout 2017, Mexico has condemned all missile launches from North Korea.[4] On 7 September 2017, the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared persona non grata the Ambassador of North Korea in Mexico, Kim Hyong-gil and expelled him from the country within 72 hours. This decision followed the sixth nuclear test carried out by Pyongyang on September 3.[5] In December 2018, Kim Yong-nam, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea arrived in Mexico City to attend the inauguration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.[6]

On 12 June 2018, through a statement from the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Mexican government considered the meeting held between the President of the United States, Donald Trump and the North Korean Leader, Kim Jong-un to be of great importance for peace between the two nations.[1]

Bilateral Agreements

Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1980, Mexico and North Korea have signed several bilateral agreements, such as an Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation; Customs Agreement; Agreement on the prohibition of certain import and export products; Agreement on Health; Agreement on Education and Cultural Cooperation and a Treaty on the prohibition of testing nuclear weapons.[1]

Trade

Mexico is North Korea's most important trading partner in Latin America with Mexico purchasing 1% of North Korea's total exports in 2015.[7] That same year, Mexico sold US$45 million worth of oil to North Korea and at the same time, Mexico purchased US$13.8 million worth of products from North Korea, mostly computer parts.[7] In 2017, total trade between both nations amounted to US$6.5 million.[8]

Diplomatic missions

The Embassy of North Korea in Mexico City

List of North Korean ambassadors to Mexico

Diplomatic agrément/ Diplomatic accreditation Ambassador Observations Leader of North Korea Head of state of Mexico Term end
September 4, 1980 *The governments in Pyongyang and Mexico City established diplomatic relations.[11] Kim Il Sung José López Portillo
February 1, 1983 Pak Yong-se Pak Yong-se, 28 New DPRK Ambassador to Mexico Pak Yongse presents his credentials to President Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado.[12] Kim Il Sung Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado
March 1, 1988 Pak Jung-guk (†October 1, 1996) since Oct. 28, 1987 residence in Havana, concurrently Ambassador to Mexico and Venezuela.[13] Kim Il Sung Carlos Salinas de Gortari
September 20, 1993 Kim Sung-ryong North Korean Ambassador to Mexico Kim Sung-ryong told an in interview with the Mexican press on September 22 that the North Korean embassy in Mexico opened on September 20, 1993.[14] Kim Jong Il Carlos Salinas de Gortari
February 16, 1998 Kim Chang-shik North Korean Ambassador to Mexico Kim Chang-shik was deported February 13 by the Mexican government in connection with recent cocaine smuggling involving two North Korean diplomats residing in Mexico.[15] Kim Jong Il Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León
January 1, 2003 Ri Kang-se Kim Jong Il Vicente Fox Quesada
February 14, 2005 So Jae-myong Feb. 14 The Korean Central News Agency says that the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly appoints him as ambassador to Mexico, replacing Ri Kang-se.[16] Kim Jong Il Vicente Fox Quesada
December 5, 2011 Kun Song-an DPRK Ambassador to Mexico An Kun Song (An Ku'n-so'ng) greets Mexico's new president Enrique Peña Nieto.[17] Kim Jong Un Felipe Calderón
June 21, 2016 Kim Hyong-gil [18][19] Kim Jong Un Enrique Peña Nieto September 8, 2017

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Bilateral relations between Mexico and North Korea (in Spanish)
  2. ↑ North Korea Blames U.S. for Blocking Release of Ship Held by Mexico
  3. ↑ Mexico declares N. Korean ship abandoned, will sell for scrap
  4. ↑ México condena enérgicamente el ensayo nuclear de Corea del Norte (in Spanish)
  5. ↑ Mexico expels North Korea’s ambassador
  6. ↑ Inicia el arribo de invitados internacionales a toma de posesión de Andrés Manuel López Obrador
  7. 1 2 BBC: Vino chileno o petróleo mexicano: las sorprendentes relaciones comerciales entre América Latina y Corea del Norte (in Spanish)
  8. ↑ "Mexican Ministry of the Economy: North Korea (in Spanish)". Archived from the original on 2019-07-28. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
  9. ↑ Embassy of Mexico in South Korea
  10. ↑ "Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs: North Korea (in Spanish)". Archived from the original on 2018-07-02. Retrieved 2017-09-04.
  11. ↑ Seoul, Yonhap News Agency (2002-12-27). North Korea Handbook. M.E. Sharpe. p. 976. ISBN 978-0-7656-3523-5.
  12. ↑ North Korea Quarterly. Institute of Asian Affairs. 1983. p. 72.
  13. ↑ Seoul, Yonhap News Agency (2002-12-27). North Korea Handbook. M.E. Sharpe. p. 875. ISBN 978-0-7656-3523-5.
  14. ↑ North Korea News. Naewoe Press. 1993. p. 6.
  15. ↑ Belke, Thomas Julian (1999). Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Living Sacrifice Book Company. ISBN 978-0-88264-329-8.
  16. ↑ Vantage Point. Naewoe Press. 2005. pp. 60–63.
  17. ↑ "Protocolo" (PDF). 3W Mexico. 2017-09-09. p. 62. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-09-09. Retrieved 2020-12-06.
  18. ↑ "Cancillería da tres días al embajador de Corea del Norte para que abandone México". www.proceso.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-12-06.
  19. ↑ "Presidencia de la República | Gobierno | gob.mx". www.gob.mx. Retrieved 2020-12-06.
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