It has been almost two decades since North Korea and the European Union (EU) established diplomatic relations in 2001, but these relations have been hamstrung by a chronic lack of diplomatic contact.

Over the years, the EU has donated over a 100 million euros of aid to North Korea ($121.6 million) and almost all EU member states have bilateral diplomatic relations with Pyongyang. Yet the EU itself still has no delegation present in Pyongyang and North Korea has no mission (or 'embassy') in Brussels, where the EU headquarters is located.