China confirms new ambassador arrives in North Korea

China’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday confirmed a new Chinese ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun has arrived in the North.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular news conference that the new ambassador would “play an important role in the development of traditional friendship and cooperative relations.”

Media reports suggested that Ambassador Wang Yajun was the first foreign diplomat received by North Korea since the country closed its borders in January 2020 due to the pandemic. Wang’s predecessor Li Jinjun left the post in late 2021.