Ri Yong-ho (diplomat) explained

Ri Yong-ho
Native Name:리용호
Native Name Lang:ko
Birth Date:1956 7, df=yes
Birth Place:Pyongyang, North Korea
Alma Mater:Pyongyang Foreign Language University
Office:Minister of Foreign Affairs
Convocation:14th term
Term Start:11 April 2019
Term End:18 January 2020
1Blankname:Chairman
1Namedata:Kim Jong Un
2Blankname:Premier
2Namedata:Kim Jae-ryong
Successor:Ri Son-gwon
Convocation1:13th term
Term Start1:13 May 2016
Term End1:11 April 2019
1Blankname1:Chairman
1Namedata1:Kim Jong Un
2Blankname1:Premier
2Namedata1:Pak Pong-ju
Predecessor1:Ri Su-yong
Module:
Child:yes
Hangul:리용호
Hanja:李容浩
Rr:Ri Yong-ho
Mr:Ri Yong-ho
Koreanipa:ɾi.joŋ.ɦo
Context:north
Party:Workers' Party of Korea

Ri Yong-ho (; pronounced as /ko/; born 10 July 1956) is a North Korean politician and diplomat who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Korea from 2016 to 2020.[1]

Ri's current status is unclear. The Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun in 2022 reported that he had been executed, citing unnamed sources.[2] [3] South Korea's National Intelligence Service confirmed that Ri was purged but was not able to verify his reported execution.[4] In July 2024, Ri Il-kyu, a former North Korean diplomat and defector, told The Chosun Ilbo that he had been sent to a penal colony, not executed.[5]

Ri was known as a skillful negotiator with experience in negotiating with the United States on the North Korean nuclear program. In particular, he had headed North Korea's negotiators at the six-party talks. His diplomatic career spanned more than 30 years, including posts in various embassies. Ri was the ambassador to the United Kingdom between 2003 and 2007.

Ri was a full member of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and its Politburo, and was a deputy to the 14th Supreme People's Assembly.

Early life and education

Ri was born in 1956;[6] his father was Ri Myong-je, a close aide of the Kim dynasty and a former editor of the Korean Central News Agency.[7] Ri graduated from the elite Namsan High School in Pyongyang in 1973. He majored in English at the Pyongyang Foreign Language University.[8]

Career

Ri was a career diplomat[9] with more than 30 years of service in foreign affairs.[10] Proficient in English,[11] he was described as "a skilled negotiator".[10] Ri had extensive experience in negotiating with the U.S. on the issue of the North Korean nuclear program.

Ri entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1978. In 1979, he became a secretary at the North Korean embassy in Zimbabwe for four years. Between 1985 and 1988 he served as a secretary at the North Korean embassy to Sweden.[8]

After his post in Sweden, Ri returned to the foreign ministry in 1988, where he was leader, supervisor and vice director of the International Organizations Bureau of the ministry. This post allowed him to become involved in negotiations with the U.S. In 1995 he was promoted a counselor at the ministry. At the time, he was described as a close ally of Kang Sok-ju.[8] He took part in direct negotiations with the U.S. in the 1990s.[12] In October 2000, he was ambassador-at-large accompanying Jo Myong-rok to negotiations in Washington.[8] In the 2000s, he served as ambassador in Western European countries;[13] he was Ambassador to the United Kingdom between 2003 and 2007.[10] Ri was appointed as Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs on 23 September 2010,[13] [14] serving for part of the time under Ri Su-yong.[9] Ri was North Korea's leading representative at the six-party talks in 2011.[15] Ri's team negotiated the "Leap day agreement" during the Six-party talks.[9] In 2011, Ri met with South Korean negotiators in Bali to broker a deal on continuing nuclear disarmament talks.[16]

Ri was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs on 9 May 2016.[13] [17] His promotion came after the 7th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, which made him a full member of the Central Committee[18] and an alternate member of the Politburo.[9] Previously, since 28 September 2010, he had been an alternate member of the Central Committee.[13] Ri is also a deputy to the 14th Supreme People's Assembly,[19] representing the 371st Electoral District (Unha).[20]

In August 2017, amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Ri took part in a rare multilateral meeting with foreign ministers at a summit meeting in Manila, Philippines. Ri negotiated with his South Korean, Chinese, and Russian counterparts, making the meeting only two parties – the United States and Japan – short of the makeup of the six-party talks.[21] On 7 August, Ri said that his country will never negotiate away North Korea's nuclear weapons.[22]

On 23 September 2017, Ri attended the UN General Assembly and gave a speech in which he remarked that Donald Trump is "chastised even by the American people as 'Commander in Grief', 'Lying King', [and] 'President Evil'."[7] Subsequently, he was made a full member of the Politburo. According to Michael Madden of Johns Hopkins University, "Ri can now be safely identified as one of North Korea's top policy makers ... Even if he has informal or off the record meetings, Ri's interlocutors can be assured that whatever proposals they proffer will be taken directly to the top".[23]

In August 2019, Ri condemned the 2019 Hong Kong protests, stating: "North Korea fully supports the stand and measures of China to defend the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the country and safeguard the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, and concerns about foreign forces interference in Hong Kong issue."[24]

In January 2020 Ri was dismissed from his position as Minister of Foreign Affairs.[25] His successor was announced two days later as Ri Son-Gwon, who is known as a hardliner.[26] [27]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: http://japanese.joins.com/article/811/215811.html. ja:北朝鮮、新外相に李容浩を任命. Ri Yong-ho appointed as North Korea's Minister of Foreign Affairs. JoongAng Ilbo. 18 May 2016. 22 May 2016. ja.
  2. Web site: Former N.K. Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho likely executed last year: report. 4 January 2023. Yonhap News Agency.
  3. Web site: https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/world/20230104-OYT1T50022/. ja:北朝鮮、李容浩元外相を処刑か…在英国大使館勤務経験の外務省関係者らも. 4 January 2023. ja:読売新聞オンライン. Yomiuri Shimbun. ja.
  4. Web site: NIS says Ri Yong-ho purged, unclear whether executed: lawmakers. 5 January 2023. The Korea Herald.
  5. News: Sang-Hun . Choe . North Korean Diplomat Defects to the South, Shares News of Political Purge . The New York Times . 16 July 2024.
  6. Web site: http://nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr/nkp/theme/viewPeople.do?nkpmno=23483. Ministry of Unification. ko:주요인물: 리용호. Key Figures: Ri Yong-ho. 22 May 2016. ko.
  7. News: Ri Yong who? Meet North Korea's foreign minister who called Trump 'Mr Evil President'. Straits Times. 23 September 2017.
  8. Book: North Korea Handbook. 2002. M.E. Sharpe. 978-0-7656-3523-5. 186–187.
  9. Web site: North Korea Is Said to Appoint Career Envoy as Foreign Minister. Hoe Sang-hun. 18 May 2016. 21 May 2016. The New York Times.
  10. Web site: North Korea appoints Ri Yong Ho as new foreign minister. Vasudevan. Sridharan. 17 May 2016. 21 May 2016. International Business Times UK.
  11. Web site: N. Korea taps Ri Yong-ho as top diplomat: source. 17 May 2016. 21 May 2016. Yonhap News Agency.
  12. Web site: North Korea names Ri Yong-ho as foreign minister. 17 May 2016. 21 May 2016. BBC News.
  13. Web site: Ri Yong Ho (Foreign Affairs). 17 May 2016. 21 May 2016. North Korea Leadership Watch.
  14. Web site: Impact Players: Ri Yong-ho. 17 May 2016. 21 May 2016. Center for Strategic & International Studies. Andy. Lim.
  15. Web site: North Korea appoints new Foreign Minister: Pyongyang's leading man on Six Party Talks becomes chief of foreign affairs. NK News. 21 May 2016. 16 May 2016. John G.. Grisafi.
  16. Web site: North Korea names ex-nuclear envoy as new foreign minister. Hyung-jin Kim. 17 May 2016. 21 May 2016. The Big Story. Associated Press. 21 August 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160821013259/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/03c79c66bc2d4b08b367f3d8032971ff/north-korea-says-it-has-named-new-foreign-minister. dead.
  17. Web site: New North Korean foreign minister was its disarmament negotiator. Tony. Munroe. Ju-min Park. 17 May 2016. 21 May 2016. Reuters.
  18. Web site: North Korea Has a New Foreign Minister. Ankit. Panda. 18 May 2016. 21 May 2016. The Diplomat.
  19. Web site: Kim Jong Un left off list of officials elected to 14th Supreme People's Assembly . Zwirko . Colin . . 12 March 2019 . 18 March 2019 .
  20. Web site: ko:북 김정은, 최고인민회의 대의원 처음 빠져: (추가) 북 언론, 687명 대의원 명단 발표...당 부위원장들 포함 (명단) . Jo Jung-hoon . Tongil News . 12 March 2019 . 18 March 2019 . http://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=128110 . ko .
  21. Web site: A Rare Round of Diplomacy From North Korea's Top Diplomat . Harris . Gardiner . . 7 August 2017 . 9 August 2017 .
  22. News: The Express. 10. 9 August 2017.
  23. News: Kim Jong Un praises nuclear program, promotes sister to center of power. Reuters. 8 October 2017. 8 October 2017.
  24. News: Rodong . Sinmun . North Korea backs China over Hong Kong issue. Korean Central News Agency. 13 August 2019.
  25. News: North Korea Replaces Ri Yong Ho as Foreign Minister: NK News. January 18, 2020. Carla. Canivete. Bloomberg News.
  26. Web site: Kim Jong Un benennt neuen Außenminister für Nordkorea. Kretschmer. Fabian. Augsburger Allgemeine. de. 2020-01-21.
  27. News: North Korea pick of ex-soldier for new top diplomat could bode ill for diplomacy. Dengler, Kim. Simon, Min yo. 2020-02-20. Washington Post.