SEOUL-- South Korea's foreign ministry said Thursday it is closely monitoring the withdrawal of foreign diplomats in North Korea amid the COVID-19 pandemic, following reports the Romanian embassy there has also temporally halted its activities.

It was known as the last operating European embassy in Pyongyang, as the reclusive country's highly restrictive virus control measures led many other nations to pull out diplomats.

Earlier in the day, Radio Free Asia said Romania's diplomatic and consular activities in Pyongyang were temporarily suspended last Saturday due to "restrictions imposed locally in the context of the pandemic."

"We are well aware of related situations and are keeping a watch on them with interest," a ministry official told reporters on the customary condition of anonymity.

Source: Yonhap News Agency