A German foreign ministry official, second from left, visits North Korea at the invitation of the country's foreign ministry, Feb. 26, 2024. Courtesy of the Chinese Embassy in North Korea

Germany has no plans to reopen its embassy in North Korea while the Russia-Ukraine war continues, a German government official said Tuesday, citing the country's involvement in the conflict.

"Under these circumstances of the ongoing conflict and North Korea involved in Ukraine, we cannot see the possibility to reopen the embassy," the German official said on condition of anonymity.

Some European countries that operated diplomatic missions in North Korea, such as Germany, Britain and Sweden, pulled out of the reclusive country in early 2020 due to Pyongyang's COVID-19 restrictions.

Germany had reportedly been considering reopening its embassy in North Korea. In a related effort, a German diplomat in charge of East Asia affairs visited the country in February 2024 to inspect the embassy building and local living conditions.

North Korea deployed thousands of troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine last year, while Germany formally joined the U.S.-led United Nations Command (UNC) in charge of overseeing the armistice of the 1950-53 Korean War last August.

North Korea has since strongly denounced Germany's entry into the UNC, calling it an act of ruining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

"As long as the conflict (in Ukraine) is ongoing, we will not open (the embassy)," the German official told Yonhap News Agency.

Among Western countries, Sweden reinstated its diplomats to its embassy in North Korea for the first time in September last year. Poland and Switzerland also resumed diplomatic activities in the North.

According to the South Korean unification ministry, 15 foreign embassies were operating in North Korea as of recently, including those from Brazil, Iran, India, Nigeria and Nicaragua. (Yonhap)