Ri Su-yong

Ri was the North Korean representative to the United Nations mission in Geneva in the 1980s. Ri was the North Korean ambassador to Switzerland in the 1990s. Before holding these posts he had worked in African embassies of North Korea. Ri was the vice-director of the Organization and Guidance Department in 2002.{{cite book|author=Yonhap News Agency, Seoul|title=North Korea Handbook|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JIlh9nNeadMC&pg=PA884|date=27 December 2002|publisher=M.E. Sharpe|isbn=978-0-7656-3523-5|page=884}}

Ri was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Korea from April 2014 to May 2016.{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/north-korea-named-foreign-minister-39159141|title=North Korea Names Ex-Nuclear Envoy as New Foreign Minister|author=Hyung-jin Kim|agency=Associated Press|website=ABC News|date=17 May 2016|access-date=21 May 2016}} He was appointed to the post in the first session of the 13th Supreme People's Assembly in 2014,{{Cite web | title = Members of DPRK Cabinet Appointed | agency=Korean Central News Agency | work=KCNA Watch | date = 9 April 2014 | accessdate = 1 October 2015 | url = http://kcnawatch.nknews.org/article/h9v }} replacing Pak Ui-chun.{{Cite web | title = NORTH KOREA NEWSLETTER NO. 308 (April 10, 2014) | work=Yonhap News Agency | date = 10 April 2014 | accessdate = 1 October 2015| url = http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/northkorea/2014/04/10/55/0401000000AEN20140410003500325F.html}} Outside observers hailed the appointment as the most important in the cabinet,{{cite book|author=IBP, Inc.|title=Korea North Country Study Guide Volume 1 Strategic Information and Developments|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6W6-CQAAQBAJ&pg=PA54|date=13 April 2015|publisher=Lulu.com|location=Washington, DC|isbn=978-1-4330-2780-2|page=54}} suggesting his close relationship with Kim Jong Un and Kim Yo Jong played part. It was also suggested that this may indicate change in the traditionally weak role of the Foreign Minister in North Korea.{{Cite web | title = The DPRK Political Season: Two Post-Mortems | first = Michael|last=Madden | work=38 North | date = 23 April 2014 | accessdate = 1 October 2015 | url = http://38north.org/2014/04/mmadden042314/ }}

In 2014, Ri attended the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the time when the United Nations Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was being discussed. Ri was the first North Korean foreign minister to attend the UNGA in 15 years (and only the third ever, since Kim Yong-nam in 1992 and Paek Nam-sun in 1999),{{Cite web | title = DPRK foreign minister to attend UN General Assembly | first = Oliver|last=Hotham | work=NK News | date = 1 September 2014 | accessdate = 1 October 2015 | url = http://www.nknews.org/2014/09/dprk-foreign-minister-to-attend-un-general-assembly/ }} signifying that North Korea took the allegations made by the COI very seriously.{{cite book|editor1=Jong-Chul|editor2=Park Jeong-Ho Roh|title=Law and Policy on Korean Unification: Analysis and Implications|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W9zVBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA219|date=31 December 2014|publisher=Korean Institute for Reunification|location=Seoul|isbn=978-89-8479-798-7|page=219}} Ri attended the UNGA again in 2015 to mark the 70th anniversary session of the UNGA. In his statement to the assembly, described as unsurprising, Ri called for the United States to work toward a peace treaty in Korea in exchange for "dramatic improvement" in security of the Korean peninsula.{{Cite web | title = The Latest: North Korea's FM presses US for peace treaty | agency = AP | work = The Big Story | date = 1 October 2015 | accessdate = 2 October 2015 | url = http://bigstory.ap.org/article/fa09d68df6734ae486cc4ed84a4b9e1c/ | archive-date = 5 October 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151005070743/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/fa09d68df6734ae486cc4ed84a4b9e1c/ | url-status = dead }}

In April 2014, Ri was also the first North Korean foreign minister to visit India in at least 25 years. He met with Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj to discuss North Korean nuclear program and regional security issues. Ri also met with Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari. It is also possible that Ri sought Indian economic aid, or increased trade. India had given 1 million U.S. dollars as emergency aid through World Food Program in 2011.{{cite web |url=https://thediplomat.com/2015/04/north-koreas-foreign-minister-makes-rare-visit-to-india/ |title=North Korea's Foreign Minister Makes Rare Visit to India |author=Ankit Panda |date=14 April 2015 |website=The Diplomat |publisher= |access-date=2 October 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.nknews.org/2015/04/first-visit-of-north-korean-fm-to-india-in-25-years/ |title=First visit of North Korean FM to India in 25 years |author=Leo Byrne |date=13 April 2015 |website=NK News |publisher= |access-date=2 October 2015}}

In May 2016, Ri Su-yong was replaced by Ri Yong-ho as the foreign minister. The shuffle was followed by the 7th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, which elected Ri Su-yong a full member and Vice Chairman of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea,{{Cite web | title = Official Report of Seventh Congress of the WPK | author = | work=Naenara | date = | accessdate = 11 May 2016 | url = http://www.naenara.com.kp/en/news/news_view.php?0+96931 | language = | quote = }}{{Cite web | title = Official Report of First Plenary Meeting of 7th WPK Central Committee Issued | agency=Korean Central News Agency | date = 10 May 2016 | accessdate = 10 May 2016 | url = http://kcna.kp/kcna.user.home.retrieveHomeInfoList.kcmsf?lang=eng }} a full member of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea, and the director of the party's International Relations Department. He was also appointed to the State Affairs Commission. In 2017, he was elected chairman of the Diplomatic Commission of the Supreme People's Assembly.{{Cite web |title=North Korean Signals: The Diplomatic Commission |last=Haggard |first=Stephan |work=PIIE |date=27 April 2017 |access-date=23 January 2019 |url= https://piie.com/blogs/north-korea-witness-transformation/north-korean-signals-diplomatic-commission }}

He was replaced by Kim Hyong-jun in his diplomatic responsibilities between late 2019 and 2020, and removed from the Politburo and the State Affairs Commission.

Ri was born on 15 June 1940 in Kankyōnan Province, Korea, Empire of Japan (now South Hamgyong Province, North Korea).{{Cite web |script-title=ko:리수용(남성) |publisher=Ministry of Unification |work=nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr |access-date=9 April 2019 |url= http://nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr/nkp/theme/viewPeople.do?nkpmno=1097 |language=ko }} He studied at the {{ill|University of International Affairs|ko|국제관계대학}}, studying at the department of French language. Ri has a reputation of being innovative, open-minded and result-oriented among those he has worked with.{{cite web |url=http://www.chosonexchange.org/our-blog/2014/8/14/foreign-minister-ri-su-yongs-southeast-asia-tour-roundup |title=Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong's Southeast Asia Tour Roundup |author= |date=14 August 2015 |website=Choson Exchange |publisher= |access-date=2 October 2015}}

Ri had been Kim Jong Il's classmate. During his career, Ri took care of many personal and financial affairs of Kim, including his Swiss bank accounts.{{cite book|last=Gause|first=Ken E.|title=North Korea Under Kim Chong-il: Power, Politics, and Prospects for Change|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xpu6NUONT80C&pg=PA184|date=31 August 2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO|location=Santa Barbara|isbn=978-0-313-38175-1|page=184}} Ri also guarded Kim's children: Kim Jong Un, the present leader of North Korea, and Kim's sister Kim Yo Jong when the two were studying at an international school in Switzerland. Ri received the Order of Kim Jong Il on 14 February 2012.{{Cite web | script-title = ko:北, 김정일훈장, 김정일상 등 수여 - 통일뉴스 | trans-title = | work=Tongil News | date = 14 February 2012 | accessdate = 20 October 2015 | url = http://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=97572 | language = ko }}

{{Portal|North Korea|Biography|Politics}}

• Foreign relations of North Korea
• Human rights in North Korea
• North Korea and the United Nations
• List of diplomatic missions of North Korea

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{{Reflist|2}}

• [https://nkleadershipwatch.wordpress.com/leadership-biographies/ri-chol/ Biography] at North Korea Leadership Watch
• [https://gadebate.un.org/70/democratic-peoples-republic-korea Statement at the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly (2015)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709090843/http://gadebate.un.org/70/democratic-peoples-republic-korea |date=9 July 2016 }}
• [http://www.uriminzokkiri.com/index.php?ptype=english&no=11422 "DPRK Foreign Minister Reiterates Its Commitment to Lasting Peace and Security on Korean Peninsula and Region"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222170948/http://www.uriminzokkiri.com/index.php?ptype=english&no=11422 |date=22 December 2015 }} at Uriminzokkiri
• {{YouTube|EH-8Oow0V7A|"N. Korean FM Ri Su Yong says Pyongyang′s capable of preemptive strikes"}} by Arirang News
• [http://bigstory.ap.org/article/d23e72a8fb0a4931829a25394aba31c8/highlights-ap-interview-nkorean-foreign-minister 2016 interview] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805170422/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/d23e72a8fb0a4931829a25394aba31c8/highlights-ap-interview-nkorean-foreign-minister |date=5 August 2016 }} by Associated Press

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{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Foreign Affairs|years=2014–2016}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee|years=2017–2020}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Director of the Workers' Party of Korea International Relations Department|years=2016–2019}}

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Category:Living people

Category:1940 births

Category:People from South Hamgyong Province

Category:Ambassadors of North Korea to Switzerland

Category:Foreign ministers of North Korea

Category:Recipients of the Order of Kim Jong Il

Category:Vice Chairmen of the Workers' Party of Korea and its predecessors