Mexico to Restore Diplomatic Relations with North Korea

Mexico announced its willingness to reestablish diplomatic relations with North Korea, after 5 years of no communication.  However, Mexican authorities did not specify when it would be or provided further details on the bilateral negotiations. The reestablishment of relations seeks to show the independence of Mexico's foreign policy from the US.

Mexico is currently working to restore diplomatic and trade relations with North Korea, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marcelo Ebrard, told reporters at a UN Security Council meeting in New York.  "We are open to have relations with any country in the world. We are working to reopen embassies in each country and also open trade and activities between both nations," said Ebrard.

One of the pillars of Mexico's foreign policy is non-intervention; for which the country respects all governments, including North Korea. However, Ebrard acknowledged that the country has committed serious violations of human rights, international laws and Security Council resolutions.

Political experts believe that Ebrard announced Mexico's intentions to show the independence of the country's foreign policy from the US, in addition to demonstrating his political capabilities, as he is likely to run for president in the upcoming elections, Bloomberg reported.

In September 2017, during the Peña Nieto administration , Mexico announced that it was breaking diplomatic relations with the Kim Jong-un government, as the Mexican government absolutely rejected North Korea's nuclear activities and its violations to international laws. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luis Videragay, said North Korea represented a serious threat to the world.

"Its nuclear activity is a serious risk to international peace and security, and represents a growing threat to the nations of the region, including key allies such as Japan and South Korea," the Mexican government said in a statement. Due to North Korea's nuclear tests, in 2017 the UN Security Council issued resolutions prohibiting North Korea from developing and testing weapons and, according to the UN Charter, the resolutions are binding to member states such as Mexico.

The diplomatic rupture between the governments of Mexico and North Korea occurred while Mexico was renegotiating NAFTA with the US and Canada. Political analysts have said that due to the unstable relationship between Mexican authorities and former President Donald Trump, Mexico decided to break relations with North Korea in an effort to ease tensions, reported Infobae.