• Contact Us
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
Sunday, September 24, 2023
National Tribune
SUBSCRIBE
  • World
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Science
  • Health
  • Opinion
  • World
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Science
  • Health
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
NT
No Result
View All Result
Home Korea

North Korea confirms Ri Son Gwon as new foreign minister

by Associated News
January 24, 2020
in Korea, North, U.S. News
0
North Korea confirms Ri Son Gwon as new foreign minister
0
SHARES
1
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

North Korea has named as its new foreign minister a former senior army officer with little experience in dealings with the United States, in a possible indication it will take a harder line with Washington in stalled nuclear negotiations.
The new post for Ri Son Gwon was disclosed Friday in a Korean Central News Agency dispatch that said he attended a reception for foreign diplomats in Pyongyang on Thursday.
More:

South Korea’s Moon: ‘Desperate need’ to improve North Korea ties

North Korea’s Kim ends freeze of nuclear and missile tests

‘Look how strong we are’: North Korea’s message for 2020

South Korean and other outside media previously reported North Korea had recently informed foreign diplomats in Pyongyang of Ri’s job.
In his speech at the banquet, “Comrade Ri Son Gwon said the Korean people have turned out in the general offensive to break through head-on the barriers to the advance of socialist construction by dint of self-reliance … and made public the foreign policy stand of the (North Korean) government,” KCNA said.
Ri, an outspoken retired army colonel who recently headed a government body responsible for relations with South Korea, has taken part in numerous inter-Korean talks over the past 15 years. But he lacks experience in negotiations with the US.

In South Korea, he is most known for what was seen as rude remarks to South Korean businessmen visiting Pyongyang in September 2018.
While they were eating “naengmyeon”, Korean traditional cold noodles, Ri asked them: “Are naengmyeon going down your throats?” in apparent dissatisfaction with a lack of progress in efforts to promote inter-Korean economic projects. Many conservatives in South Korea strongly criticised him.
Former foreign minister’s whereabouts unknown
Ri replaced Ri Yong Ho, a career diplomat with broad experiences in dealings with the US and South Korea who had taken part in nuclear negotiations with Washington since early 2018.
It was not immediately known what happened to Ri Yong Ho, whose name was last mentioned in KCNA last August.
Analyst Cheong Seong-Chang at South Korea’s private Sejong Institute said Ri Son Gwon’s appointment signalled North Korea would further harden its stance on the US and bolster its push to cement its position as a nuclear state.

It was not immediately known what happened to former Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, whose name was last mentioned in KCNA last August [File: Jon Chol Jin/AP]

“From now on, it’s difficult to expect meaningful progress in North Korea-U.S. diplomacy,” Cheong said.
Nuclear talks between the US and North Korea have progressed little since the breakdown of the second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam in February 2019.
Kim recently said North Korea would bolster its nuclear arsenal and unveil a new “strategic weapon” after the US failed to meet a year-end deadline set by him to make concessions. 
A senior State Department official told reporters on Wednesday that Washington was aware of Ri Son Gwon’s reported appointment and hopes North Korea will understand the importance of resuming diplomacy.
“There’s nothing to be gained by not talking. It’s only to their benefit, so we encourage them to talk,” the official said on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorised to speak publicly to the matter.
“It is slow, patient, steady diplomacy. We’re going to stick with that plan.”
Continue Reading…

Tags: KoreaNorth
Associated News

Associated News

Next Post
Trump impeachment trial: Conspiracy theories and fidget spinners

Trump impeachment trial: Conspiracy theories and fidget spinners

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Trump taps legal heavyweights for impeachment defence

Trump taps legal heavyweights for impeachment defence

4 years ago
Pressure Builds to Send Tanks to Kyiv; Russian Forces Home In on Bakhmut

Pressure Builds to Send Tanks to Kyiv; Russian Forces Home In on Bakhmut | NationalTribune.com

8 months ago

Popular News

    About Us

    National Tribune is an independent newspaper and publishing company owned by the National Tribune Company, formed in 1877 in Washington, D.C.

    • World
    • Business
    • Politics
    • Science
    • Health
    • Opinion
    • Help
    • About Us
    • Subscriptions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Corporate
    • Terms Of Service
    • GDPR

    Connect With us

    • Contact Us

    © 1877 - 2023 NationalTribune.com

    No Result
    View All Result
    • About
    • About Us
    • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Home
    • Home 1
    • Home 2
    • Home 3
    • Home 4
    • Home 5
    • Homepage
    • Homepage
    • Investor Relations
    • Log In
    • Member Directory
    • My Account
    • My Profile
    • News
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reset Password
    • Sign Up
    • We’re Hiring

    © 1877 - 2023 NationalTribune.com

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password?

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In