North Korea–Poland relations

Poland–North Korean relations (Korean: 뽈스까공화국-조선민주주의인민공화국관계) are foreign relations between Poland and North Korea.

Poland–North Korea relations
Map indicating locations of North Korea and Poland

North Korea
Poland

Poland is one of the few countries that maintain diplomatic and limited trading (fishing) relations with Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

North Korea maintains an embassy in Warsaw, and Poland in Pyongyang. As of 2020, the North Korean ambassador is Il Choe.[1]

According to a 2013 BBC World Service Poll, only 5% of Poles view North Korea's influence positively, with 68% expressing a negative view.[2]

Overview
North Korea's ambassador to Poland Kim Pyong-il and Undersecretary of State at the Chancellery of the President of Poland Mariusz Handzlik in Warsaw in 2010

Poland recognized the DPRK on 16 October 1948 as the sole legitimate government of the whole Korea, when both countries had Soviet-installed communist regimes.

During the Korean War, after North Korea's request, Poland took in and offered education to 1,400 North Korean children and youth, mostly orphans.[3] They were housed in Gołotczyzna, Świder, Płakowice, Szklarska Poręba and Bardo.[4] 350 children returned to North Korea in 1956–1958, and the remainder returned in 1959 by decision of Kim Il Sung.[4]

From June 1956 until 1993, Poland remained part of the NNSC (Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission) named by the DPRK and Chinese Volunteers to carry out inspections and investigations as part of the armistice agreement. When Poland and Czechoslovakia ceased to be communist, the Korean People's Army took over the camps and expelled the Poles and Czechs. In 1989, Poland lost its status as a "friend" and its privileged position in contacts with the DPRK. Despite the change from communism to capitalism in Poland in 1989 and Poland's establishing relations with South Korea, relations between Poland and DPRK remain at a fair level.[5]

Poland also provides North Korea with small grants in farming equipment and medicine.

Trade relations

From 1967 economic relations between the two countries were maintained at the symbolic level of trade and sailing co-operation (the Polish-Korean company CHOPOL Sp. z.o.o. owned one ship).[6] The value of trade in 2007 was US$15.207 million, including Polish exports at US$0.507 million:[7]

  • Polish exports: US$0.507 million
  • Polish imports: US$14.7 million

The most important goods exported by Poland were meats and other food products, mechanical and electronic tools as well as clothing products.

After a period of inactivity the company was liquidated in 2018.[8]

Diplomatic relations
North Korean embassy in Warsaw

Poland maintains its embassy in Pyongyang and DPRK maintains its embassy in Warsaw. As of 2009, The Republic of Poland and DPRK have signed 16 bilateral treaties, 12 as the Polish People's Republic and 4 as the Republic of Poland.[9]

Official visits between the countries

Polish visits to North Korea:

Korean visits to Poland:

  • 1956 - Premier Kim il Sung
  • 1984 - President Kim il Sung
  • 2008 - Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK (political consultations)

See also

References
  1. "President receives credentials from six newly appointed ambassadors to Poland". www.prezydent.pl. 10 September 2020. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  2. 2013 World Service PollBBC Archived 2015-10-10 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Sołtysik, Łukasz (2009). "Dzieci i młodzież północnokoreańska w Polsce w latach 1953–1954 w świetle wybranych dokumentów". Rocznik Jeleniogórski (in Polish). Vol. XLI. Jelenia Góra. pp. 209–210. ISSN 0080-3480.
  4. Sołtysik, p. 197–198
  5. Andrzej Bober (2008-12-30). "Polska- KRL-D, przegląd stosunków po 1989 roku". Centrum Studiów Polska - Azja (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2016-05-02.
  6. Sedia, Giuseppe (17 July 2015). "The strange history of North Korean-Polish relations". Krakow Post. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  7. "Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych: Koreańska Republika Ludowo-Demokratyczna (Korea Północna)" [Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)]. Portal Gov.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 21 February 2009.
  8. "Polska w KRLD: Koreańska Republika Ludowo-Demokratyczn" [Poland in the DPRK: Democratic People's Republic of Korea]. Portal Gov.pl (in Polish).
  9. "Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych - Portal Gov.pl".
  10. "North Korea Revelations from the Polish Archives: Nukes, Succession and, Security | Wilson Center".

Further reading
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