In Senegal, a rare look inside an abandoned North Korean Embassy

Facing a money crunch due to international sanctions, North Korea closed seven of its embassies around the world last year, including one in Dakar. RFA Korean Service reporters who were in Senegal’s capital for another story got an unexpected tour of the now-abandoned embassy that offered a rare look at the lives of North Koreans abroad.  

Life is often hard for overseas North Korean workers. As much as 80% of their earnings are thought to be handed over to their government. They are forced to surrender their passports, leaving the workers vulnerable to abuse. They spend long stretches away from their families. 

But in some instances living beyond North Korea’s borders can bring comparatively greater freedoms and luxuries, although workers are still closely monitored, according to Ryu Hyun-woo, a former North Korean ambassador to Kuwait who now lives in South Korea. 

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The white, two-story embassy in Dakar had a pool, a rooftop deck and a large room for hosting guests. Among the litter left were wrappings for Chinese noodles and an empty DVD box. 

One poster still on the wall warned of a potential threat: mixing the wrong type of foods. Beef and spinach can cause a stomach ache; pork and ginger a sore throat. Hyun-woo said he created a similar list when he was in Kuwait before he defected. 

“Since we’re not always familiar with the types of food in a place like Senegal, or whether they suit our tastes, it’s sensible to be aware of food that shouldn’t be eaten together,” Hyun-woo said in an interview with RFA Korean.

Edited by Jim Snyder.