UK KOREAN FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION
Saturday 5th of December 2020
The UK Korean Friendship Association issued the following statement on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea(DPRK) and the United Kingdom;
It was 20 years ago on the 12th of December 2000 that the United Kingdom formally established diplomatic relations . This was a reversal of the previous policy of successive British governments which was not to recognize the DPRK . In 1983 the then British Foreign Secretary (a Conservative ) Geoffrey Howe said that ‘ We will never recognize north Korea ‘ but 17 years later the UK did recognize the DPRK . It was a great victory for the DPRK which was achieved to the Songun policy pursued by the DPRK as well as the independent diplomacy policy .
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the DPRK and UK , a British embassy opened in Pyongyang and in April 2003 a DPRK embassy opened in London ,located in Ealing , west London . Numerous cultural and educational exchanges have taken place between the UK and DPRK for example two visits of Disabled Artistes of the DPRK to the UK as well as DPRK students studying at British universities and British people teaching at DPRK universities.
However the smooth and speedy development of relations between the two countries has been gravely impeded and even negated by the stubborn and dogmatic adherence to a hostile policy against the DPRK by those in authority in the UK . This has seen the UK voting for sanctions against the DPRK in the UN Security Council and implementing those sanctions . Worse still in July of this year the UK went as far to impose its own ‘independent sanctions ‘ on the DPRK over the fictitious issue of ‘human rights ‘ . Really the UK is not pursuing an independent policy towards the DPRK but it simply copying others.
We take this opportunity to again call for the lifting of sanctions against the DPRK by Britain . Ending the sanctions against the DPRK would give the UK wonderful opportunities for a post-Brexit trade deal with the DPRK .
The 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the UK and DPRK is a significant landmark . We urge that the British government ends its hostile policy towards the DPRK and instead develops good relations with the DPRK based on independence and mutual benefit.
UK KFA
05.12.2020
