Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, there have been no visits of government delegations at ministerial level to Germany or North Korea.

[3] East Germany sought connections for trade, educational exchange and manifestations as a communist power with the Asian country.

After the former USSR and the People's Republic of China, East Germany was the third biggest provider of money to North Korea to fight capitalism.

Kim Il Sung also enjoyed a close personal relationship with East German First Secretary Erich Honecker.

[4] From 1955 to 1962, the East German government ran a large-scale programme to reconstruct the port cities of Hamhung and Hungnam which had been severely damaged by US air raids during the Korean War (1950–53).

Called the Deutsche Arbeitsgruppe (DAG), the team consisted of city planners, architects, technical personnel and craftsmen, who built residential and industrial areas, hospitals, schools, hotels, a concert hall, and an outdoor swimming pool.

[5][6] After the Sino-Soviet split in 1960, North Korea was loyal to the PRC's Mao, but East Germany grew closer with the Soviet Union.

This led to a deterioration of the bilateral relations between both countries, which means no more shipping of luxury goods from Germany to North Korea as well as an arms embargo.

One reason was because of the Sunshine Policy of the former South Korean president Kim Dae-jung, a new and better diplomatic relationship with North Korea and a few EU members was possible so that Germany as a cultural nation could set up projects, with for example the Goethe-Institut.