North Korea’s closure of Africa embassies a sign of economic hardships

North Korea’s recent closing of its diplomatic missions in Angola and Uganda was a sign that the reclusive country is struggling to make money overseas because of international sanctions, South Korea’s unification ministry said on Tuesday.
Both Angola and Uganda have forged friendly ties with North Korea since the 1970s, maintaining military cooperation and providing rare sources of foreign currency such as statue-building projects.
But on Monday, Pyongyang’s state media outlet KCNA said its ambassadors paid “farewell” visits to Angolan and Ugandan leaders last week, and local media in both African countries reported the shutdown of the North’s embassies there.
Seoul’s unification ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said the pullout reflected the impact of international sanctions aimed at curbing funding for the North’s nuclear and missile programs.