North Korea has increased its diplomatic relations with the 28-nation European Union by opening an embassy in Spain, expanding the number of embassies there to 10.

North Korean Ambassador Kim Hyun-chul presented his Letter of Credence at the Palace of Zarzuela, the official residence of King Juan Carlos, in Madrid last month.

Kim presented his credentials along with some 15 other envoys in a special ceremony.

North Korea opened its chancery in Spain in October. Spain and North Korea established diplomatic relations for the first time in 2001.

Kim has spent years working in diplomatic postings in Africa. He was North Korea’s top diplomatic representative to Ethiopia in 2010, and was ambassador to Sudan from late 2011.

While 26 of the 28 nations of the European Union have diplomatic relations with North Korea, only seven ― Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom and Sweden ― maintain embassies there.

(ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)