Portugal cuts diplomatic ties with North Korea

Portugal has confirmed it severed diplomatic ties with North Korea amid heightened international efforts to have the North halt its nuclear and missile provocations, Voice of America reported Wednesday.

The Washington-based media said the European country decided in July to cut diplomatic relations and official contacts with Pyongyang.

The Portuguese Embassy in Washington told the VOA that severing ties with the North was in line with the international community's efforts to curb the North Korean regime's hostile acts. It marked the first time for the Portuguese government to have confirmed its diplomatic severance with the North, the report said.

According to the report, the Portuguese decision is aimed at strengthening pressure on the North in a bid to make it come to the dialogue table and abandon all nuclear and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner.

Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said in an interview with a local daily on Oct. 1 that Italy would order North Korea's newly designated ambassador, Mun Jong-nam, to leave the country.

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North Korea is facing further isolation from the outside world as countries have declared North Korean ambassadors persona non grata due to the reclusive nation's unwillingness to halt its nuclear and missile provocations.

Earlier, Mexico, Peru, Kuwait and Spain expelled North Korean ambassadors, while Thailand and the Philippines curtailed their economic relations with the North. (Yonhap)