DPRK Ambassador Kim Son Gyong (L) presents his credentials to the President of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bakir Izetbegovic (R) (Photo: Office of the President of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
ONASA reported on 15 May (Tuesday) that Bakir Izetbegovic, President of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Chairman of the Presidency), met with and accepted a letter of credence from Kim Son Gyong (Kim So’n-kyo’ng) who was recently appointed ambassador. According to the country’s news agency, Kim and Izetbegovic discussed “the possibilities of improved cooperation between the two countries with an emphasis on economic and cultural relations.” Kim is resident ambassador in Romania. This represents a slight shift in the DPRK’s diplomatic missions in eastern Europe, as the previous ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina was resident in Bulgaria. In the spring of 2011, the DPRK established a small trade presence in Bosnia, and extended members of the Kim Family reside in Bosnia, including a grandson of Kim Jong Il’s who attends an international school south of the capital Sarajevo.
President of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bakir Izetbegovic (L) poses for a photograph with DPRK Ambassador Kim Son Gyong (R) (Photo: Office of the President of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
DPRK Ambassador Hyon Hak Bong (File photo: Laura Hutton/Photocall)
Meanwhile, Hyon Hak Bong (resident in the UK) presented his credentials to Albert II, King of Belgium, on 9 May. KCNA reports:
The king said though Belgium and the DPRK are far away from each other geographically, they have great potential to cooperate in various fields, adding that Belgium hopes for further development of the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries.
He also expressed hope that the tensions would be defused on the Korean Peninsula and the north-south relations would improve
