North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Departs for New York to Attend U.N. General Assembly
Quick Look
- North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong departed Pyongyang for New York to attend the 81st U.N.
- General Assembly, where he is scheduled to speak on the closing day of the General Debate, marking the first minister-level North Korean delegation to the assembly in six years.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
North Korea had not sent minister-level officials to the U.N. General Assembly since the failed 2019 Hanoi summit between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump, instead relying on its U.N. ambassador to represent the country. Previous foreign ministers Ri Su-yong and Ri Yong-ho attended annually from 2014 to 2018.
SEOUL, Sept. 23 (Yonhap) -- North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong has departed for New York to attend the 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly, state media reported Wednesday.
A North Korean delegation, led by Kim, left Pyongyang on Tuesday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, without disclosing details of his itinerary.
Kim is set to take the floor Monday, the closing day of the General Debate, the annual high-level session where U.N. member states lay out their positions on major international issues.
During last year's session, he used his address to reiterate Pyongyang's stance that it will never abandon its nuclear weapons.
Following the failed 2019 Hanoi summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump, Pyongyang had not sent any minister-level officials for six years. North Korean Ambassador to the U.N. Kim Song served as its representative instead.
Previously, former North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong attended the U.N. General Assembly from 2014-2015 and his successor, Ri Yong-ho, participated from 2016 to 2018.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Kim Son-gyong will reiterate North Korea's position that it will never abandon its nuclear weapons, consistent with his remarks at last year's session.
Very likely · Within days
Open Questions
- What specific topics will Kim Son-gyong address in his speech?
- Will North Korea signal any willingness to engage in denuclearization talks?
- How will the United States and other member states respond to the address?
