Statement on the 23rd Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Britain and the DPRK

UK KOREAN FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION 

                                                                  

London 12.12.2023

 The  Korean Friendship Association of the UK issued the following statement on the occasion of the 23rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea(DPRK)  and the United Kingdom;

 It was 203years ago on the 12th of December 2000 that the United Kingdom formally established diplomatic relations . This was a reversal of the previous policy of successive British governments which was not to recognize the DPRK  . In 1983 the then British Foreign Secretary (a Conservative ) Geoffrey Howe said that ' We will never recognize north Korea ' but 17 years later the UK did recognize the DPRK . It was a great victory for the DPRK which was achieved to the Songun policy pursued by the DPRK as well as the independent diplomacy policy .

  Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the DPRK and UK , a British embassy opened in Pyongyang and in April 2003  a DPRK embassy opened in London ,located in Ealing , west London . Numerous cultural and educational exchanges have taken place between the UK and DPRK for example two visits of Disabled Artistes of the DPRK to the UK as well. as DPRK students studying at British universities and British people teaching at DPRK universities

  KFA UK did its own bit for cultural exchange with the DPRK by organising  exhibition of DPRK posters in Croydon in 2018 and in East London in 2019.

 However the smooth and speedy development of relations between the two countries has been gravely impeded and even negated by the stubborn and dogmatic adherence to a hostile policy against the DPRK by those in authority in the UK . This has seen the UK voting for sanctions against the DPRK in the UN Security Council and implementing those sanctions .Really the UK is not pursuing an independent policy towards the DPRK but it simply copying others.

  We take this opportunity to again call for the lifting of sanctions against the DPRK by Britain .Trade with the DPRK would be a great benefit to the UK .

  The 23rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the UK and DPRK is a significant landmark . We urge that the British government ends its hostile policy towards the DPRK and instead develops good relations with the DPRK based on independence and mutual benefit.

KFA UK 

12.12.2020