North Korea appoints veteran diplomat as first female foreign minister

North Korea appoints veteran diplomat as first female foreign minister
June 11, 2022, 6:00 pm

Hyon Song Wol, head of the North Korean Samjiyon art troupe takes a photo of Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choe Son-Hui (C) ahead of the welcoming ceremony of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (not pictured) at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam March 1, 2019. (File photo: Reuters)

State media in North Korea reported Saturday (June 11) the country has appointed veteran diplomat Choe Son-hui as its first female foreign minister. This comes as Pyongyang pushes ahead with a blitz of sanctions-busting weapons tests and ignores U.S. calls for talks.

The state media KCNA reported that Choe, who formerly served as the North's vice foreign minister, was tapped to lead the foreign ministry at a ruling party meeting overseen by leader Kim Jong Un.

The Anews reported, citing the AFP, she replaces Ri Son Gwon, a hardline former military official who previously led talks with the South.

A career diplomat who speaks fluent English, Choe served as a close aide to Kim during nuclear talks with the United States and accompanied the North Korean leader to summits with then U.S. president Donald Trump.

Military Parade in North Korea (File photo: Pixabay)

She held a rare question and answer session with reporters on the night the two leaders' summit in Hanoi collapsed without a deal in February 2019, blaming Washington for the failed talks.

She said: "I think the United States has missed a golden opportunity with its rejection of our proposals.”

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Diplomacy between Pyongyang and Washington have since stalled, with the Kim regime in recent months not responding to the United States' repeated offers to return to negotiations.

The nuclear-armed North has meanwhile carried out a blitz of sanctions-busting weapons tests this year, including firing an intercontinental ballistic missile at full range for the first time since 2017.

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U.S. and South Korean officials have also warned that Kim's regime is preparing to carry out what would be its seventh nuclear test -- a move that Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman warned would provoke a "swift and forceful" response.

Source: anews

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