Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the North Korean Embassy in London has access to any UK financial system, including the banking and insurance systems.

The UN Security Council and EU have implemented sanctions targeted at North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. These sanctions are in effect in the UK but are not targeted at the North Korean Embassy or its staff.

HM Treasury is aware that the Embassy has had difficulty in finding a bank in the UK to open an account. It is for banks to decide on their risk appetite and to take into account the costs of managing those risks when determining whom they do business with.