N. Korea's vice FM leaves for New York to attend U.N. General Assembly

North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong has embarked on a trip to New York to participate in the 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly, according to state media reports on Wednesday. The delegation, headed by Kim, bid farewell to Pyongyang on Tuesday, as confirmed by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The specifics of his schedule remain undisclosed.

Kim is scheduled to address the assembly on Monday, the final day of the General Debate, the annual high-level gathering where representatives of U.N. member states articulate their perspectives on crucial global issues. In the previous year's session, Kim reiterated North Korea's assertion that it will not relinquish its nuclear weapons.

Following the abortive 2019 summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi, Pyongyang refrained from sending any minister-level delegates for six consecutive years. This time around, the role of representing North Korea at the U.N. General Assembly has been shouldered by North Korean Ambassador to the U.N., Kim Song, who took over from Ambassador Ri Su-yong.

Ri Su-yong had represented North Korea in the General Assembly from 2014 to 2015, while his successor, Ri Yong-ho, served from 2016 to 2018.