New DPRK Ambassador to Czech Republic

Outgoing DPRK Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Ri Pyo'ng-kap (Ri Pyong Gap), during a 2007 meeting in Prague. Ri served as ambassador from 2004 until 2011

Ri Kwang Il has been appointed the DPRK’s new ambassador to the Czech Republic.  Ri previously served as a deputy director of the DPRK Institute for Disarmament and Peace.  He replaces Ri Pyo’ng-kap (Ri Pyong Gap) who had served as ambassador in Prague, as well as nonresident ambassador to Slovakia, since 2004.  It is not clear if there are any other personnel changes (i.e. secretaries, councilors) at the DPRK’s Prague embassy KCNA reports:

Ri Kwang Il was appointed as DPRK ambassador to the Czech Republic, according to a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK.

Kim Chang-il (L) greets Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (R) during a 25 May reception in Kim's honor (Photo: VNA)

Meanwhile, DPRK Ambassador to Vietnam Kim Chang-il  was the guest of honor at a 25 May reception in Hanoi hosted by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.  Kim was appointed ambassador in November 2010 and replaced Ma Chol Su.  VNA reports:

He said he hoped Ambassador Kim Chang-il would closely work with Vietnamese ministries and departments to strongly promote trade and investment between the two countries during his term of office in Vietnam.

Kim Chang-il congratulated Vietnam on its comprehensive achievements, especially in economic development and the international arena.

He affirmed that he would do his utmost to further promote bilateral friendly and cooperative ties between the two countries.

DPRK Offers Ginseng to CZ for Old Foreign Debt

Karlštejn Castle, Central Bohemia, CZ

The DPRK has offered the Czech Republic‘s Finance Ministry bulk shipments (several hundred metric tons) of ginseng as partial repayment of debts incurred by the DPRK to the old Czechoslovakia.  The DPRK has offered the ginseng to pay 5 % of the 186 million Kc (korunas) [about $9.6 million USD] “for the delivery of transport machinery and trams.”  iDnes reports that the DPRK is number ten on a list of debtor countries from the former socialist bloc (Cuba was #1).  The DPRK’s Embassy in Prague is the country’s regional office for diplomatic and political management in the CEE.

Korea Times reports:

“We are trying to persuade them (North Korea) to give us, for example a bulk of Zinc instead, so that we could sell it to someone else,” Tomas Zidek, deputy finance minister, told the newspaper in Czech.

North Korea is believed to have a significant amount of zinc in deposits.

The paper went on to say the consumption of ginseng in the Czech Republic is very small, and it only imported 1.4 tons last year. The amount of ginseng worth $500,000 will be roughly 400 tons, securing the supply for more than 200 years.

But, to Czech’s disappointment, North Korea seemed to have made up its mind, as it sent a delegation with samples of ginseng.