DPRK Ambassador Presents Credentials in Latvia

DPRK Ambassador Pak Kwang Chol (R) shakes hands with Latvian President Andris Bērziņš (L) after presenting his diplomatic credentials on 4 December 2012 (Photo: Office of the President of Latvia)

DPRK state media reported on 10 December (Monday) that DPRK Ambassador Pak Kwang Chol (Pak Kwang-ch’o’l) presented his credentials (letters of credence) to the President of Latvia Andris Bērziņš on 4 December.  According to KCNA, President Bērziņš “wished the government and people of the DPRK success in their efforts for economic development and improvement of people’s living standard.”  According to the Latvian Government President Bērziņš “welcomed North Korea’s desire to develop bilateral relations” and “explained the advantages of an economy that is open and aimed at co-operation when it comes to economic development, adding that this can be seen in Latvia’s rapid recovery from the recent economic crisis.  Pak Kwang Chol “explained his views about the fundamental principles of relations between his country and others.”

A former university teacher with two decades’ experience in foreign affairs, the 56-year old Pak Kwang Chol was appointed DPRK Ambassador to Sweden by the Supreme People’s Assembly Presidium on 19 September 2012.  Latvia is one of his six nonresident postings, which include the two other Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Finland and Norway), the two Baltic countries with which the DPRK has diplomatic relations (Latvia and Lithuania) and Iceland.

Latvian President Andris Bērziņš (R) meets with DPRK Ambassador Pak Kwang Chol (foreground, L) after receiving Pak’s diplomatic credentials on 4 December 2012 (Photo: Office of the President of Latvia)