New york: North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong has arrived in New York to attend the ongoing United Nations General Assembly, marking the first high-level attendance from North Korea at this event in seven years. Kim's presence at the U.N. signifies a notable move by Pyongyang as it participates in the 80th session of the General Assembly.
According to Yonhap News Agency, a delegation led by Kim departed Pyongyang to join the international gathering, with his arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport recorded at 11:45 p.m. Thursday (local time) on an Air China flight. Despite attempts by reporters to engage with Kim regarding potential bilateral talks with the United States, he exited the airport without commenting, utilizing a vehicle from North Korea's mission to the U.S.
This visit marks the first time North Korea has dispatched a high-level delegation to the U.N. General Assembly since 2019. The last notable engagement was during the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi, Vietnam, which concluded without an agreement. Previously, from 2014 to 2018, North Korea's foreign ministers, Ri Su-yong and later Ri Yong-ho, represented the country at the annual session.
In recent years, Kim Song-gyong, the permanent representative to the U.N., has been attending the General Assembly on behalf of North Korea. The vice foreign minister is expected to deliver a speech on Monday, the final day of the general debate, marking the first address by a North Korean official dispatched directly from Pyongyang at the General Assembly in seven years.