S.Korea monitoring withdrawal of embassies in Pyongyang

The South Korean Foreign Ministry said on Thursday it is closely monitoring the withdrawal of foreign diplomats in North Korea amid the Covid-19 pandemic, following reports the Romanian mission in Pyongyang has also temporally halted its activities.

It was known as the last operating European embassy in Pyongyang, as the reclusive country's highly restrictive virus control measures led many other nations to pull out diplomats, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Earlier in the day, Radio Free Asia said Romania's diplomatic and consular activities in Pyongyang were temporarily suspended last week due to "restrictions imposed locally in the context of the pandemic".

"We are well aware of related situations and are keeping a watch on them with interest," a Ministry official told reporters.

Since the outbreak of the global pandemic early last year, North Korea has not reported even a single Covid-19 case till date - IANS