[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Amid the deadlock in denuclearization talks between North Korea and the United States, it has been confirmed that the North Korean ambassador to China and the ambassador to the United Nations have hurriedly returned to North Korea.
According to sources in Beijing on the 18th, Ji Jae-ryong, North Korea's ambassador to China, and Kim Sung, ambassador to the North Korean mission to the United Nations, took a Korea Air flight from Beijing Capital International Airport to Pyongyang that morning. It is reported that about 10 North Korean diplomats accompanied them at the airport.
Additionally, the North Korean ambassadors to Angola and Singapore were also spotted at Beijing airport, suggesting that a meeting of overseas mission chiefs will be held in North Korea soon.
One source said, "I understand that the North Korean ambassador to China and the ambassador to the UN went to North Korea today," adding, "Ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, a meeting of mission chiefs is expected to be held to discuss strategies toward the U.S. as well as ways to procure the insufficient foreign currency."
In particular, since the ambassador to China and the UN ambassador hold key positions in the North Korea-U.S. denuclearization talks and peace process, it is possible that they will discuss North Korea’s leadership’s strategy toward the U.S. during this return trip.
Also, as U.S. sanctions against North Korea have intensified, worsening North Korea’s foreign currency shortage, it is expected that ways to increase foreign currency procurement through North Korea’s overseas missions will be discussed.
Another source added, "The sudden return of the ambassadors to China and the UN to Pyongyang can be seen as a sign of new developments related to North Korea-U.S. issues within North Korea," and "The increasingly scarce foreign currency procurement will also be a major agenda item."
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