South Korean government officials focus on North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui's role as tensions rise in inter-Korean relations

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the 16th. Prior to this, Mr. Choi had met with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, and Mr. Putin was informed of the meeting.
I informed you. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Russia and the DPRK have strengthened ties. Meanwhile, North Korean General Secretary Kim Jung Eun, in a speech at the Supreme People's Assembly (equivalent to the National Assembly) held on the 15th,
, emphasized the need to clearly state in the constitution that South Korea is ``the number one enemy and the unchanging main enemy.'' The opposition stance was once again made clear. Amid this, the Korean newspaper Dong-A Ilbo reported, ``The Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) is in charge of external relations.
It is highly likely that Choi, who holds the position of head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (equivalent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), will be entrusted with various roles related to the South (South Korea),'' a senior South Korean government official said.
Choi has been North Korea's foreign minister since June 2022. He is known as a person who is close to Kim Jong Il and is well versed in negotiations with the United States.
Ru. After studying abroad in Australia, Malta, and China, he joined the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the mid-1980s, and in August 2009, former US President Clinton visited North Korea's capital, Pyongyang.
I took center stage as an interpreter at that time. In October 2010, he became Deputy Director-General of the Americas Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in 2016 he became Director-General of the North American Bureau. In 2018, Kim Kye-gang, First Vice-Minister (at the time)
) was promoted to vice minister of foreign affairs as a personnel change in response to his poor health. Mr. Choi demonstrated his skills at the U.S.-North Korea summit meetings held in June 2018 and February 2019. Mr. Choi played a central role in the practical matters.
However, the top-level talks ended in failure, with Choi commenting to reporters, ``I got the impression that Chairman Kim Jong-un has lost his desire to negotiate.'' At the general meeting of the Party Central Committee in April 2019,
At the first session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly, he was elected as a member of the State Affairs Commission and the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly. He was also promoted from Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs to First Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs. and 2022
In June, North Korea nominated Choi as its new foreign minister at a general meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. For the first time in North Korea, a woman has been appointed as foreign minister.
Mr. Choi arrived in Russia on the 14th of this month. At noon on the 16th, I met with Foreign Minister Lavrov.
The two leaders discussed matters such as the implementation status of the agreement reached at the Russia-North Korea summit held in September last year. Lavrov also touched on the situation on the Korean Peninsula, saying, ``Russia hopes for a peaceful resolution.The United States poses a threat to North Korea.''
"The measures taken by the United States and its allies have contributed nothing towards a solution." Mr. Choi then met with President Putin. He relayed the details of his meeting with Mr. Lavrov. Also, regarding the schedule of Mr. Putin's visit to North Korea.
They may have also discussed it. Russian media showed Putin smiling brightly at Choi and shaking his hand. The Korean newspaper JoongAng Ilbo quotes a reporter's report from Russia's state broadcaster Russia 1.
and reported. Russia 1 reporter Pavel Zarubin said of the footage of the two men meeting, ``Although there is no voice, their facial expressions tell a lot.''
While relations between North Korea and Russia are strengthening, tensions are rising between the two countries. North Korea's best man held on the 15th
At the People's Assembly, Kim Jong Il stated in his policy speech that the right thing to do is to revise the constitution to clearly state that South Korea should be regarded as "the number one enemy and the unchanging main enemy, and that education should be strengthened." On the other hand, South Korea's Yoon Seo-gyul
(Yin Seok-yue) President criticized the North Korean government at a cabinet meeting on the 16th, saying, ``The North Korean regime has acknowledged the fact that it is an anti-national and anti-historical group.'' If he provokes them, he says, ``I will punish you several times that amount.''
Under these circumstances, according to the Korean newspaper Dong-A Ilbo, South Korean government authorities are paying close attention to Choi's role in South Korean policy. A senior official said, ``From now on, Choi will be the partner of South Korea.''
There is a high possibility that it will appear, so we are keeping an eye on it." Under Mr. Choi's leadership, North Korea is proceeding with the restructuring and abolition of its ``South Korean Agency,'' which serves as a contact point for South Korea. On the 1st of this month, Mr. Choi will preside over the organization and abolition.
A council was held. On the 15th, the Supreme People's Assembly voted to abolish three organizations responsible for dialogue and exchange with South Korea, including the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland.