Following news of a German delegation inspecting the site of the German Embassy in Pyongyang, suggesting a possible post-pandemic reopening, Swedish Ambassador Designate to North Korea Andreas Bengtsson has arrived in the reclusive regime.

According to the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang on Thursday, Ambassador Wang Yajun met with Bengtsson the previous day, where the latter positively assessed Beijing's important role in handling issues pertaining to the Korean Peninsula.

Wang, for his part, called to bolster Beijing and Stockholm's communication and cooperation on peninsula issues, and the two sides shared a resolve to play constructive roles in seeking a political resolution.

Asked about apparent moves by Western nations to prepare for the reopening of their diplomatic missions in the North, an official at Seoul's unification ministry said Pyongyang's recent border opening to the West could be in response to South Korea's forging of diplomatic ties with the North's long-time ally, Cuba.