Regional and Country Departments
Regional and country departments are responsible for the development of bilateral relations with countries of the regions in their portfolio and for other affairs with those countries and regional organizations.
They also oversee the work of missions residents in those countries and settle issues in bilateral relations raised by foreign missions residents in the DPRK through the Protocol Department.
Asian Affairs Department 1
Countries: China, Mongolia, and Japan
Asian Affairs Department 2
Countries in Asia and the Pacific Region including Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Brunei, Nepal, Iran, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Indonesia, East Timor, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Nauru and Vanuatu
Regional Organizations: Association of South-East Asian Nations(ASEAN) and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation(SAARC).
European Affairs Department 1
Countries: Russian Federation, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Tajikistan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Georgia
European Affairs Department 2
Countries: Germany, Italy, France, Spain, United Kingdom, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, San Marino, Vatican City, Monaco, Andorra, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia
Regional Organizations: European Union headquarters including European Council, European Commission and European External Action Service
North American Affairs Department
Countries: United States and Canada
African, Arab and Latin American Affairs Department
Countries in African region: Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Cabo Verde, the Gambia, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, DR Congo, Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Togo, Chad, Niger, Cote d ‘Ivoire, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Malawi, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros, Sao Tome and Principe
Countries in Arab and middle east region: Algeria, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti, Western Sahara, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Yemen, Palestine, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea
Countries in Latin American region: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Guyana, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua Barbuda, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Suriname, Barbados, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, Ecuador, Bolivia, Cuba, Venezuela, Puerto Rico
Other Departments
Department of Press and Information
Department of Press and Information is responsible for public information and the work with the press.
Department of Consular, Treaties and Legal Affairs
The Department of Consular, Treaties and Legal Affairs is responsible for consular affairs, bilateral and multilateral treaties in the fields of politics, the economy and culture, international legal relations and the work related to national boundaries.
Protocol Department
Protocol Department is responsible for the diplomatic protocol of the state.
Department of International Organizations
Department of International Organizations is responsible for affairs with the United Nations and the bodies and agencies under its system which the DPRK has joined as a state or government member and with other inter-governmental organizations.
Department of Economic Cooperation
Department of Economic Cooperation is responsible for external economic affairs.
Institutes under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Institute for Disarmament and Peace(IDP)
The Institute for Disarmament and Peace, as a policy research institute under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, seeks ways for achieving disarmament and peace on the Korean Peninsula, strengthening peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world and preventing war.
The Institute for Disarmament and Peace performs the following functions:
‐ studies ways for achieving disarmament, peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and on regional and worldwide basis, and makes policy recommendations in this regard
‐ organizes and conducts academic exchanges on an international scale
‐ as a member of the “Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region”, focuses on promoting the process of peace and disarmament in Asia
‐ exchanges experiences and information on disarmament, peace and security affairs with its foreign counterparts
The Institute for Disarmament and Peace consists of the Disarmament Division, the Peace and Security Division, the Reunification Division and the External Affairs Division.
Address: Institute for Disarmament and Peace, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jungsong-Dong, Central District, Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
P.O. Box 87
Fax: +850-2-381-4617
E-mail: kassg@co.chesin.com
Institute for American Studies(IFAS)
The Institute for American Studies, as a research and advisory agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, undertakes research into the nature and background of, and ways to remove the US threats leveled against the DPRK and conducts in-depth study into the nuclear issue and the DPRK-US relationship from the perspective of ensuring national security.
The Institute for American Studies performs the following functions:
‐ conducts research on the DPRK-US relations and the state of affairs in the US with the aim of assisting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in implementing policy on the United States
‐ conducts wide-ranging exchanges vis-à-vis policy research institutes and experts in the United States, Europe and the rest of the world
The Institute for American Studies consists of the Department of the DPRK-US Relations, the Department of US Affairs and the Directorate of Foreign Exchange.
Address: Institute for American Studies, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jungsong-Dong, Central District, Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Fax: +850-2-4530
Institute for Studies of Japan
The Institute for Studies of Japan under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conducts research into inclusive topics related to Japan and releases its view on them.
The Institute for Studies of Japan performs the following functions:
‐ conducts research on historical, territorial and other pending issues with Japan as well as studies on different aspects of Japan including politics, economy, military, diplomacy and culture
‐ releases results of the research and views on the topics through domestic and foreign publications
‐ undertakes contact and exchange with institutes, scholars and journalists of Japan
The Institute for Studies of Japan consists of an Advisor, a Director, a Senior Analyst and analysts and involves officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and scholars, journalists and editors of social science, mass media and other relevant areas.
Address: Institute for Studies of Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jungsong-Dong, Central District, Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
E-mail: kjia@star-co.net.kp
Civil Organizations Sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Korea-China Association for Civil Exchange Promotion(KOCHACEP)
The mission of KOCHACEP is to expand contacts and relations with NGOs, organs and businesses in China, promote exchange and collaboration in political, economic, cultural and other fields and realize and increase external economic transactions by way of, inter alia, trade, finance and investment, and cooperation through development, etc.
Principal organs of the Association are Assembly, Executive Council and Secretariat.
The Assembly, as the highest governing body of the Association, meets once every three years. The Assembly works out an orientation of activities of the Association and elects President, Vice President, Secretary-General and Executive Directors.
The Executive Council meets annually to review the yearly activities of the Association and to project the tasks to be carried out by the Association.
The Secretariat is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Association. It consists of Economic Cooperation Promotion Department, Cultural Cooperation Promotion Department and so on.
The Secretariat is located in Pyongyang and has branches in each Province. A wide variety of economic organs, cultural organs and academic entities across the country participate in the work of KOCHACEP.
Korea-Canada Cooperation Association(KCCA)
KCCA undertakes interchange and cooperation with the governmental and non-governmental organizations in Canada.
It consists of Executive Director, Chief Manager, Program Director and Coordinators.
Korea-Japan Interchange Association(KJIA)
The mission of KJIA is to promote interchange and mutual visits between governments, relevant civil organs, and parliamentarians of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea(DPRK) and Japan.
The Association consists of President, Vice President, Adviser, Secretary-General and Researcher, and involves about 20 officials working concurrently at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other organs concerned.
Association for the Promotion of International Economic and Technological Exchange(APIETE)
The mission of APIETE is to expand and strengthen contacts with the global sci-tech and economic circles, share the latest sci-tech information as well as experiences and achievements by organizing and participating in seminars, workshops, field visits, trainings and exhibitions, and promote economic and technological exchange and various kinds of economic cooperation.
Principal organs of APIETE are Assembly, Executive Council and Secretariat.
The Assembly, as the highest governing body of the Association, meets once every three years, and it maps out the orientation of activities of the Association and elects President, Vice President, Secretary-General and Executive Directors.
The Executive Council meets annually to review the yearly activities of the Association and to project tasks to be carried out by the Association.
The Secretariat is responsible for day-to-day administration of the Association. It consists of Sci-Tech Exchange Section, Economic Cooperation Promotion Section, Economic Relations and New Technology Dissemination & Research Section, Data Processing Section, etc.
Korea-Europe Association(KEA)
The mission of KEA is to realize interchange and cooperation with the European policy study institutes and civil organs in the domain of media, education, culture, art, sports, etc., promote exchange of views on major international issues including situations of Europe and Northeast Asia, and provide advisory service for making policies in the areas concerned.
The Association involves sitting and former officials from various fields, and it is composed of the sections of respective relevant fields.
Korea-Asia Association(KAA)
The primary mission of KAA is for promoting political, economic and cultural cooperation and interchange with the peoples of Asian countries, thus contributing to safeguarding peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and Asia as a whole.
The Association involves about 30 officials, including former and sitting diplomats, personnel from policy study institutes and other experts concerned.
Korea-Russia Association for Promotion of Exchange and Cooperation(KORUA)
The Association undertakes exchange, mutual visits and cooperation with NGOs, entities, businesses, the media, policy institutes, science research institutes, etc. of the Russian Federation and promotes the latters’ connection and collaboration with the relevant bodies of the DPRK.
The Association has president, two vice-presidents, and a secretary-general. The Secretariat consists of social and culture section, science and education section, and economic cooperation section, each having its chief and members.
The Association can be contacted via either the DPRK Embassy in Moscow, or the DPRK Consulate-General in Vladivostok, or the Consular Agency in Khabarovsk, the Russian Federation.
Korea-Africa Association(KAFA)
The mission of Korea-Africa Association is to promote political, economic and cultural cooperation and exchanges with the peoples of the countries in the African region.
The Association undertakes exchanges, mutual visits and cooperation with the NGOs and the policy institutes of the countries in the African region.
The Association is composed of President, Secretary-General and staff members. It also involves diplomats, people from policy institutes and other experts.
Korea-Arab Association(KABA)
The mission of the Korea-Arab Association is to promote political, economic and cultural cooperation and exchanges with the peoples of the countries in the Middle East and Arab region.
The Association undertakes exchanges, mutual visits and cooperation with the NGOs and policy institutes of the countries in the Middle East and Arab region.
The Association is composed of President, Secretary-General and staff members. It also involves diplomats, people from policy institutes and other experts.
Korea-Latin America Association(KLAA)
The mission of the Korea-Latin America Association is to promote political, economic and cultural cooperation and exchanges with the peoples of the countries in the Latin American region.
The Association undertakes exchanges, mutual visits and cooperation with the NGOs and policy institutes of the countries in the Latin American region.
The Association is composed of President, Secretary-General and staff members. It also involves diplomats, people from policy institutes and other experts.
SOURCE: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK