 North Korea appoints veteran diplomat Choe Son-hui as its first female foreign minister (Photo: AFP/VNA)
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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. She replaces Ri Son Gwon, 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 US president Donald Trump.
During the 5th Enlarged Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea June 8 to 10, Jon Sung Guk was appointed vice-premier of the Cabinet, Choe Son Hui minister of Foreign Affairs, Pak Hyong Ryol minister of Food Industry, Kwak Jong Jun minister of Commerce, and Ri Tu Il chairman of the State Commission of Science and Technology.