Unification Minister Chung Dong-young (R) shakes hands with Swedish Ambassador to South Korea Karl-Olof Andersson during their meeting at the government complex in Seoul on Aug. 11, 2025. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Korea Bizwire) — Unification Minister Chung Dong-young met with the Swedish ambassador in Seoul on Monday to discuss ways to step up cooperation and address pending issues on the Korean Peninsula, his office said.
During talks with Swedish Ambassador to South Korea Karl-Olof Andersson, Chung expressed appreciation for Sweden’s diplomatic efforts to “ease inter-Korean tensions and to promote peace on the peninsula as a country that maintains diplomatic relations with North Korea and operates an embassy in Pyongyang.”
Chung emphasized that South Korea and Sweden will continue to work closely together, noting that Sweden’s diplomatic network and trusted relationship with North Korea can make a “significant contribution to resuming dialogue on the peninsula.”
Highlighting Sweden’s longstanding commitment to the Korean Peninsula, Andersson said his country will maintain close communication with Seoul on issues regarding North Korea.
Sweden established diplomatic relations with North Korea in 1973 as the first Western country and has often acted as a bridge between Washington and Pyongyang.
It also hosted the working-level nuclear talks between the top envoys of the United States and the two Koreas in 2019 before a summit meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Andersson is among the few diplomats to have served as ambassador to both Koreas, having served as ambassador to North Korea from 2012 to 2014.
(Yonhap)
