Commentary, Stockholm 29 May 2026

Iceland’s honorary consul to Myanmar, Ko Ko Latt, has been forced to resign just three months after taking up his post. This development comes after it emerged that he has business ties to companies controlled by the military junta that are sanctioned by the EU, USA and United Kingdom.

Ko Ko Latt took up his post as Iceland’s honorary consul to Myanmar in February 2026. Shortly afterwards, the activist group Justice For Myanmar (JFM) sent a letter to Iceland’s foreign minister urging Iceland to withdraw the appointment. This due to businessman Ko Ko Latt’s connections and business ties to the Burmese military. His KK Business Group of Companies operates, among other things, a hotel in central Yangon owned by the military-owned company Myanma Economic Holdings (MEHL), which is sanctioned by the EU, the US and the UK.

According to an investigation by Justice For Myanmar, there are further ties to the junta in KK Business Group. Since the military coup in 2021, the group has also been expanded with several new companies. Among other things, KK Business Group has become one of the largest buyers of timber from the state-owned Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE). Since the coup, MTE and other state-owned enterprises have come under the control of the military junta and contribute to its revenues. These revenues are used to finance the junta’s warfare and abuses against the civilian population. Myanmar Timber Enterprise is also on the EU, US and UK sanctions lists due to its role in financing the junta. Iceland has committed to comply with the EU sanctions regime.

Following the pressure, Iceland conducted its own investigation, which resulted in Ko Ko Latt resigning as Iceland’s honorary consul. The Swedish Burma Committee welcomes that Ko Ko Latt is now resigning from his assignment. The international community must do everything in its power to put pressure on and not legitimise the junta in any way.

– The Nordic countries have been strong advocates for democracy and human rights in Myanmar. To appoint a businessman with ties to the military junta as honorary consul is unacceptable and should never have happened in the first place, says Kristina Jelmin, executive director at the Swedish Burma Committee.