BRASILIA, Brazil - Brazil announced Wednesday that it has opened its new embassy in North Korea, after a delay of several weeks to protest the Asian state's nuclear tests.

The foreign ministry told AFP that Ambassador Arnaldo Carrilho, who had been waiting in Beijing to take up his post, now is in place and that Brazil's embassy in North Korea now is "operational."

The opening had been set for late May, but was delayed after May 25 nuclear tests by North Korea, which drew international condemnation.

The embassy opening comes despite North Korea's test-firing of seven ballistic missiles Saturday, and international efforts to try to tighten financial sanctions on the country in response.

The nuclear tests - apparently timed to coincide with the US July 4th Independence Day holiday - were the biggest salvo of ballistic weaponry by North Korea since the same day in 2006.

The May 25 nuclear test by North Korea followed the reclusive country's declaration that it has abandoned the 1953 truce with South Korea.

Brazil established diplomatic relations with North Korea in 2001; North Korea opened an embassy in Brasilia in 2005.

Earlier this year, North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-Chun visited Brazil and held talks with his counterpart Celso Amorim on bilateral trade and investment.

Trade between Brazil and North Korea in 2008 was 381 million dollars (S$ 557 million).

For the first five months of 2009, Brazil has seen exports to North Korea shoot up by 84 percent, to some 93 million dollars.