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| North Korea Is Said to Appoint Career Envoy as Foreign Minister | |
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| SEOUL, South Korea — Ri Yong-ho, a career North Korean diplomat familiar to American and South Korean officials who have negotiated with his country over its nuclear weapons program, has been appointed its new foreign minister, a South Korean government official said on Tuesday. | SEOUL, South Korea — Ri Yong-ho, a career North Korean diplomat familiar to American and South Korean officials who have negotiated with his country over its nuclear weapons program, has been appointed its new foreign minister, a South Korean government official said on Tuesday. |
| Among outside analysts, Mr. Ri has been widely cited as a possible new foreign minister since his boss, the departing Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong, was promoted to become a member of the Politburo of the ruling Workers’ Party during the party’s rare congress this month. | Among outside analysts, Mr. Ri has been widely cited as a possible new foreign minister since his boss, the departing Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong, was promoted to become a member of the Politburo of the ruling Workers’ Party during the party’s rare congress this month. |
| In the party leadership reshuffle, Ri Yong-ho, who had served as a vice foreign minister under the other Mr. Ri, was made an alternate member of the Politburo. | In the party leadership reshuffle, Ri Yong-ho, who had served as a vice foreign minister under the other Mr. Ri, was made an alternate member of the Politburo. |
| A South Korean Foreign Ministry official said on Tuesday that his government had learned that Ri Yong-ho had been appointed foreign minister. The official said he could share the information only on the condition of anonymity because the North had not made it public through state media. | A South Korean Foreign Ministry official said on Tuesday that his government had learned that Ri Yong-ho had been appointed foreign minister. The official said he could share the information only on the condition of anonymity because the North had not made it public through state media. |
| The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that the North Korean Embassy in London had informed the British government of Mr. Ri’s new job on Monday. | The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that the North Korean Embassy in London had informed the British government of Mr. Ri’s new job on Monday. |
| Ri Yong-ho has been best known as his country’s top envoy to the so-called six-nation talks with the United States, South Korea, Japan, Russia and China aimed at ending its nuclear weapons program. The talks have stalled since 2008, and during the recent party meeting, North Korea further dimmed their prospects by suggesting that it would discuss its denuclearization only as part of global nuclear arms reductions. | |
| Mr. Ri led the negotiators from North Korea who reached the so-called Leap Day agreement with the United States in February 2012. Under that deal, Washington promised to provide food aid to the North in return for a North Korean moratorium on uranium enrichment and missile tests. But the deal collapsed the following April, when the North launched a long-range rocket widely seen as a cover for the development of an intercontinental ballistic missile. | Mr. Ri led the negotiators from North Korea who reached the so-called Leap Day agreement with the United States in February 2012. Under that deal, Washington promised to provide food aid to the North in return for a North Korean moratorium on uranium enrichment and missile tests. But the deal collapsed the following April, when the North launched a long-range rocket widely seen as a cover for the development of an intercontinental ballistic missile. |
| North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, promoted a handful of confidants, including Ri Su-yong, into the top ranks of government during the party congress this month. Ri Su-yong was North Korea’s ambassador to Switzerland and served as Mr. Kim’s caretaker when Mr. Kim went to school there as a teenager. | North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, promoted a handful of confidants, including Ri Su-yong, into the top ranks of government during the party congress this month. Ri Su-yong was North Korea’s ambassador to Switzerland and served as Mr. Kim’s caretaker when Mr. Kim went to school there as a teenager. |
| During the party meeting, Ri Su-yong also became a vice chairman and department director of the party’s Central Committee and a member of its newly created Executive Policy Bureau. The title of vice chairman replaced the old post of party secretary. | During the party meeting, Ri Su-yong also became a vice chairman and department director of the party’s Central Committee and a member of its newly created Executive Policy Bureau. The title of vice chairman replaced the old post of party secretary. |
| Ri Su-yong’s elevation in theory makes him the supervisor of North Korea’s foreign policy, replacing the old party secretary, Kong Sok-ju, another longtime nuclear negotiator, who South Korean intelligence officials said was sick. | Ri Su-yong’s elevation in theory makes him the supervisor of North Korea’s foreign policy, replacing the old party secretary, Kong Sok-ju, another longtime nuclear negotiator, who South Korean intelligence officials said was sick. |