NORTH KOREA TO OPEN EMBASSY IN KUWAIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 003138

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP
STATE FOR EAP/K

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/13/2013
TAGS: PREL KU KN KS
SUBJECT: NORTH KOREA TO OPEN EMBASSY IN KUWAIT

Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reason 1.5 (d)

(C) During a courtesy call with the Ambassador on July 14,
ROK Ambassador In Kook Park stated that the GOK recently
agreed to upgrade the status of North Korea's existing trade
office to that of an Embassy. This was in response to
repeated requests from Pyong Yang that peaked during the
fighting in Iraq. Although he did not give a precise date,
Ambassador Park said the government of North Korea would be
opening its embassy in the near future. Comment: Given the
number of North Korean nationals working in the State of
Kuwait (about 3,000, according to Ambassador Park),the
government's desire to establish an embassy here is
understandable from a practical point of view. Our concern,
however, is that the move not prove a harbinger of a return
to the policy of active non-alignment practiced by Kuwait
prior to the Gulf War.
JONES