North Korea Shutters Embassies Across the World Amid Sanctions

South Korean officials attributed the embassy closures to the North’s worsening economy.

A flag of North Korea waves in the wind on a post at the North Korean Embassy in Madrid on March 27, 2019. Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images

North Korea has shut down multiple diplomatic missions across the world because of apparent economic difficulties, according to reports.

In a diplomatic notice shared with the People’s Communist Party of Spain, Pyongyang announced the permanent closure of its embassy in Madrid, saying that going forward, all matters involving Spain will be handled by the embassy in Italy.