North Korean Foreign Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-backs-north-korea-amid-deadlocked-nuclear-talks-247322">Ri Yong Ho</a> has been replaced, Seoul-based NK News reported on Saturday.

Ri's replacement has not been identified but <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-sanctions-companies-linked-to-exploiting-north-korean-overseas-labour-274281">Pyongyang</a> is set to reveal his successor about next Thursday, the report said, citing unnamed sources.

South Korea's unification ministry, which is in charge of North Korea affairs, has said that any change in Ri's status should be assessed cautiously.

Born in 1956, Ri is the son of Ri Myong Je, former deputy director of the Organization and Guidance Department (OGD), a shadowy body within the ruling Workers’ Party that oversees the appointment of management positions within the state, according to the South Korean unification ministry.

His father was also an editor at the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the state media body that publishes Pyongyang’s propaganda statements.

A fluent English speaker who studied at Pyongyang’s prestigious University of Foreign Languages, Ri has for years held a number of high-level posts dealing with the West.

From 2003 to 2007, he was North Korea’s ambassador in London and served as vice foreign minister, representing North Korea at six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program.

Ri did not attend the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations in September. He had attended the high-level meeting in New York for three years from 2016 to 2018.

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho has been replaced, Seoul-based NK News reported on Saturday. Ri's replacement has not been identified but Pyongyang is set to reveal his successor about next Thursday, the report said, citing unnamed sources.

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho has been replaced, Seoul-based NK News reported on Saturday. Ri's replacement has not been identified but Pyongyang is set to reveal his successor about next Thursday, the report said, citing unnamed sources. South Korea's unification ministry, which is in charge of North Korea affairs, has said that any change in Ri's status should be assessed cautiously. Born in 1956, Ri is the son of Ri Myong Je, former deputy director of the Organization and Guidance Department (OGD), a shadowy body within the ruling Workers’ Party that oversees the appointment of management positions within the state, according to the South Korean unification ministry. His father was also an editor at the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the state media body that publishes Pyongyang’s propaganda statements. A fluent English speaker who studied at Pyongyang’s prestigious University of Foreign Languages, Ri has for years held a number of high-level posts dealing with the West. From 2003 to 2007, he was North Korea’s ambassador in London and served as vice foreign minister, representing North Korea at six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program. Ri did not attend the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations in September. He had attended the high-level meeting in New York for three years from 2016 to 2018.

North Korean foreign minister replaced: Sources

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/climate-change-defence-and-kashmir-in-the-spotlight-as-modi-meets-macron-ahead-of-g7-summit-244916">Climate change, defence and Kashmir in the spotlight as Modi meets Macron ahead of G7 summit&nbsp;</a>

Climate change, cybersecurity, defence, space cooperation and Kashmir were in the spotlight as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday met for the fifth time ahead of G7 Summit in Biarritz.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-rainforest-fires-our-house-is-on-fire-says-macron-ahead-of-g7-summit-244910">Amazon rainforest fires: 'Our house is on fire', says Macron ahead of G7 Summit</a>

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said the Amazon wildfires were "an international crisis" and called on the globe's most industrialized nations to address it at their summit this weekend.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-says-ready-for-dialogue-or-confrontation-with-us-244911">North Korea says ready for dialogue or confrontation with US</a>

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho said on Friday Pyongyang is ready for both dialogue and confrontation with the United States, warning Washington that continuing with sanctions would be a miscalculation, according to state media KCNA.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-says-youtube-campaign-targeted-hong-kong-protests-244915">Google says YouTube campaign targeted Hong Kong protests</a>

Google on Thursday said it disabled a series of YouTube channels that appeared to be part of a coordinated influence campaign against pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-launches-floating-nuclear-reactor-in-arctic-despite-warnings-244918">Russia launches floating nuclear reactor in Arctic despite warnings</a>

Russia will launch the world's first floating nuclear reactor and send it on an epic journey across the Arctic on Friday, despite environmentalists warning of serious risks to the region.

Climate change, defence and Kashmir in the spotlight as Modi meets Macron ahead of G7 summit Climate change, cybersecurity, defence, space cooperation and Kashmir were in the spotlight as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday met for the fifth time ahead of G7 Summit in Biarritz.

Climate change, defence and Kashmir in the spotlight as Modi meets Macron ahead of G7 summit Climate change, cybersecurity, defence, space cooperation and Kashmir were in the spotlight as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday met for the fifth time ahead of G7 Summit in Biarritz. Amazon rainforest fires: 'Our house is on fire', says Macron ahead of G7 Summit French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said the Amazon wildfires were "an international crisis" and called on the globe's most industrialized nations to address it at their summit this weekend. North Korea says ready for dialogue or confrontation with US North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho said on Friday Pyongyang is ready for both dialogue and confrontation with the United States, warning Washington that continuing with sanctions would be a miscalculation, according to state media KCNA. Google says YouTube campaign targeted Hong Kong protests Google on Thursday said it disabled a series of YouTube channels that appeared to be part of a coordinated influence campaign against pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. Russia launches floating nuclear reactor in Arctic despite warnings Russia will launch the world's first floating nuclear reactor and send it on an epic journey across the Arctic on Friday, despite environmentalists warning of serious risks to the region.

News brief: Big stories of the day

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho said on Friday Pyongyang is ready for both dialogue and confrontation with the United States, warning Washington that continuing with sanctions would be a miscalculation, according to state media KCNA.

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho said on Friday Pyongyang is ready for both dialogue and confrontation with the United States, warning Washington that continuing with sanctions would be a miscalculation, according to state media KCNA. Working-level talks between the United States and North Korea have yet to restart since stalling after the failed second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi in February. Trump and Kim met again in June at the inter-Korean border and agreed to reopen negotiations, but that has not happened as yet. "If the US is still dreaming of achieving everything with sanctions, we must either let it dream on or shatter that dream," Ri said. "We are prepared for both dialogue and confrontation. If the U.S. tries to confront us with sanctions and not abandon its confrontational posture, it would be a miscalculation." Ri also accused U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of casting "dark shadows" over US-North Korea talks, claiming that Pompeo was more interested in his own political ambitions than in current U.S. foreign policy. The remarks on KCNA were prompted by Pompeo's comments in a media interview this week saying if North Korea doesn't denuclearise, the U.S. will maintain the strongest sanctions in history while convincing North Korea that denuclearisation is the right path, Ri said. US envoy Stephen Biegun, who leads working-level talks with North Korea, arrived in Seoul on Tuesday to discuss the talks. Denuclearisation talks were expected to be reopened soon, South Korea's deputy national security adviser Kim Hyun-chong said, giving his upbeat assessment after meeting Biegun on Thursday.

North Korea says ready for dialogue or confrontation with US

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang on Thursday, the Russian foreign ministry said, and invited him to visit Russia.

Lavrov visited the secretive state ahead of a possible landmark summit between US&nbsp;President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader in June.

Russia has appeared to be on the fringes of a flurry of international diplomacy as North Korea and the United States have taken steps to set up talks aimed at ending years of tension over Pyongyang's nuclear programme.

Lavrov on Thursday passed on good wishes to Kim from Russian President Vladimir Putin and invited him to visit Moscow, TV footage showed.

"Come to Russia. We would be very happy to see you," Lavrov, seated across a table from Kim, said.

He expressed Moscow's support for the declaration between North and South Korea last month in which they agreed to work for the denuclearisation of the peninsula.

Lavrov also held talks with his North Korean counterpart, Ri Yong Ho, in what was his first trip to North Korea since 2009, Russian news agencies said.

Lavrov said Moscow hoped all sides would take a delicate approach to possible forthcoming talks on a nuclear settlement on the peninsula and not try to rush the process.

"This will allow for the realisation not only of the denuclearisation of the whole Korean peninsula but also to provide sustainable peace and stability across north-east Asia," Lavrov was quoted as saying by his ministry.

Lavrov visited the secretive state ahead of a possible landmark summit between US President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader in June

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang on Thursday, the Russian foreign ministry said, and invited him to visit Russia. Lavrov visited the secretive state ahead of a possible landmark summit between US President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader in June. Russia has appeared to be on the fringes of a flurry of international diplomacy as North Korea and the United States have taken steps to set up talks aimed at ending years of tension over Pyongyang's nuclear programme. Lavrov on Thursday passed on good wishes to Kim from Russian President Vladimir Putin and invited him to visit Moscow, TV footage showed. "Come to Russia. We would be very happy to see you," Lavrov, seated across a table from Kim, said. He expressed Moscow's support for the declaration between North and South Korea last month in which they agreed to work for the denuclearisation of the peninsula. Lavrov also held talks with his North Korean counterpart, Ri Yong Ho, in what was his first trip to North Korea since 2009, Russian news agencies said. Lavrov said Moscow hoped all sides would take a delicate approach to possible forthcoming talks on a nuclear settlement on the peninsula and not try to rush the process. "This will allow for the realisation not only of the denuclearisation of the whole Korean peninsula but also to provide sustainable peace and stability across north-east Asia," Lavrov was quoted as saying by his ministry.

Russia's Lavrov meets North Korea's Kim in Pyongyang, invites him to Moscow

China's state councillor Wang Yi met with the North's foreign minister Ri Yong Ho in Pyongyang where they discussed bilateral ties and issues regarding the Korean Peninsula, North Korean and Chinese state media reported on Thursday.

Chinese state television CCTV showed Wang meeting Ri and offering flowers at the Friendship Tower and Mansudae Grand Monument in Pyongyang.

North Korea's official news agency KCNA released still photographs of the activities, which could not be independently verified.

CCTV said Wang offered his congratulations for the successful summit between the leaders of the North and South during. Ri told Wang that North Korea is willing to keep close communications with China on realizing denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula, CCTV added.

China is North Korea's most important economic and diplomatic backer, despite Beijing's anger at Pyongyang's repeated nuclear and missile tests and support for strong United Nations sanctions against the North.

Chinese state television CCTV showed Wang meeting Ri and offering flowers at the Friendship Tower and Mansudae Grand Monument in Pyongyang

China's state councillor Wang Yi met with the North's foreign minister Ri Yong Ho in Pyongyang where they discussed bilateral ties and issues regarding the Korean Peninsula, North Korean and Chinese state media reported on Thursday. Chinese state television CCTV showed Wang meeting Ri and offering flowers at the Friendship Tower and Mansudae Grand Monument in Pyongyang. North Korea's official news agency KCNA released still photographs of the activities, which could not be independently verified. CCTV said Wang offered his congratulations for the successful summit between the leaders of the North and South during. Ri told Wang that North Korea is willing to keep close communications with China on realizing denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula, CCTV added. China is North Korea's most important economic and diplomatic backer, despite Beijing's anger at Pyongyang's repeated nuclear and missile tests and support for strong United Nations sanctions against the North.

China's senior diplomat meets with North Korea foreign minister

North Korea&rsquo;s foreign minister landed in Sweden on Thursday for talks, prompting speculation that the two-day trip could lay the groundwork for a possible meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

A Swedish Foreign Ministry spokesman said Ri Yong Ho was in Stockholm to discuss with Swedish counterpart Margot Wallstrom the security situation on the Korean peninsula and Sweden&rsquo;s diplomatic representation of the United States in North Korea.

Sweden, which is not a member of the US-led NATO military alliance, has been mentioned as a potential location for a possible face-to-face meeting between Trump and Kim.

&ldquo;If it is the case that the main players want Sweden to play a role, to facilitate, to be a forum or a link or whatever else, we are prepared to do that,&rdquo; Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told Swedish news agency TT.

&ldquo;But it must be the main players who decide, in that case, what role Sweden will have.&rdquo;

North Korean state media confirmed Ri&rsquo;s trip on Friday, saying he had flown to Sweden to speak with his counterpart on &ldquo;bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern&rdquo;. It did not mention engagement with the United States.

US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told a regular news briefing in Washington she was aware of the Stockholm meeting but the United States would not take part.

&ldquo;We don&rsquo;t have any information that that meeting is about what we anticipate to be a meeting between the United States, other parties, and North Korea,&rdquo; she said, referring this question to the Swedish government.

&ldquo;We are not sending any representation,&rdquo; she added.

Nauert said the United States was preparing for a possible summit with North Korea in good faith but had yet to hear directly from North Korea on the matter.

With a diplomatic presence in Pyongyang that goes back to the 1970s, Sweden may be able to help smooth the path for such a meeting, even if it does not end up hosting the talks.

&ldquo;This meeting will hopefully lead to clarity about what North Korea wants from a high-level meeting and what the time-frame is and what the conditions will be - for example, should there be any preliminary meetings,&rdquo; a source with knowledge of the situation said.

&ldquo;It is not even certain that North Korea wants to have a meeting.&rdquo;

The source said it was important to build confidence between Washington and Pyongyang, adding: &ldquo;The United States wants to have help with consular matters and North Korea wants to be sure that no one is going to invade.&rdquo;

Since Trump&rsquo;s surprise announcement last week that he was willing to meet Kim, speculation has mounted over what location might be chosen to host what would be the first meeting between serving leaders of the two countries.

Sweden acts as a diplomatic representative in North Korea for the United States, which has no embassy there and has helped with the release of US citizens held by the reclusive state.

In its statement, Sweden&rsquo;s foreign ministry noted that the UN Security Council had unanimously condemned North Korea&rsquo;s nuclear weapons and missile programmes and demanded their &ldquo;complete, verifiable and irrevocable elimination&rdquo;.

&ldquo;Sweden fully supports the Security Council resolutions. The aim of the visit is to contribute to the effective implementation of the resolutions,&rdquo; the ministry said.

Ri landed in Sweden on Thursday for talks, prompting speculation that the two-day trip could lay the groundwork for a possible meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un

North Korea’s foreign minister landed in Sweden on Thursday for talks, prompting speculation that the two-day trip could lay the groundwork for a possible meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. A Swedish Foreign Ministry spokesman said Ri Yong Ho was in Stockholm to discuss with Swedish counterpart Margot Wallstrom the security situation on the Korean peninsula and Sweden’s diplomatic representation of the United States in North Korea. Sweden, which is not a member of the US-led NATO military alliance, has been mentioned as a potential location for a possible face-to-face meeting between Trump and Kim. “If it is the case that the main players want Sweden to play a role, to facilitate, to be a forum or a link or whatever else, we are prepared to do that,” Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told Swedish news agency TT. “But it must be the main players who decide, in that case, what role Sweden will have.” North Korean state media confirmed Ri’s trip on Friday, saying he had flown to Sweden to speak with his counterpart on “bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern”. It did not mention engagement with the United States. US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told a regular news briefing in Washington she was aware of the Stockholm meeting but the United States would not take part. “We don’t have any information that that meeting is about what we anticipate to be a meeting between the United States, other parties, and North Korea,” she said, referring this question to the Swedish government. “We are not sending any representation,” she added. Nauert said the United States was preparing for a possible summit with North Korea in good faith but had yet to hear directly from North Korea on the matter. With a diplomatic presence in Pyongyang that goes back to the 1970s, Sweden may be able to help smooth the path for such a meeting, even if it does not end up hosting the talks. “This meeting will hopefully lead to clarity about what North Korea wants from a high-level meeting and what the time-frame is and what the conditions will be - for example, should there be any preliminary meetings,” a source with knowledge of the situation said. “It is not even certain that North Korea wants to have a meeting.” The source said it was important to build confidence between Washington and Pyongyang, adding: “The United States wants to have help with consular matters and North Korea wants to be sure that no one is going to invade.” Since Trump’s surprise announcement last week that he was willing to meet Kim, speculation has mounted over what location might be chosen to host what would be the first meeting between serving leaders of the two countries. Sweden acts as a diplomatic representative in North Korea for the United States, which has no embassy there and has helped with the release of US citizens held by the reclusive state. In its statement, Sweden’s foreign ministry noted that the UN Security Council had unanimously condemned North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile programmes and demanded their “complete, verifiable and irrevocable elimination”. “Sweden fully supports the Security Council resolutions. The aim of the visit is to contribute to the effective implementation of the resolutions,” the ministry said.

North Korean foreign minister arrives in Sweden

North Korea&#39;s foreign minister&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;said North Korea will continue to strengthen its &quot;national nuclear armed forces in both quantity and quality&quot; despite UN sanctions.&nbsp; 
 
Ri Yong Ho during his address to the United Nations General Assembly said the country&#39;s nuclear weapons are a &quot;a righteous self-defence measure&quot; against &quot;constant nuclear threats of the United States&quot;. 
 
&quot;Going nuclear-armed is the policy of our state,&quot; Yong Ho said. 
 
North Korea is the &quot;most dangerous hotspot, which can even ignite the outbreak of nuclear war&quot; and the blame will lie &quot;squarely&quot; with the US, the foreign minister said. 
 
&quot;As long as there exists a nuclear-weapon state in hostile relations with the DPRK (Democratic People&#39;s Republic of Korea), our national security and peace on the Korean peninsula can be defended only with reliable nuclear deterrence,&quot; he said.&nbsp; 
 
Ri also said the UN Security Council&#39;s decision to impose sanctions was only &quot;covering up the high-handedness and arbitrariness of the United States&quot;. 
 
The country conducted its fifth and largest nuclear test on September 9, igniting global ire and condemnation. This has led to talks on imposing new UN sanctions against the isolated country.&nbsp; 
 
No negotiations on THAAD 
 
Daniel Russel, the US assistant secretary of state for East Asia, said there will be no negotiations regarding the THAAD anti-missile system, which is set to be deployed in South Korea, as part of the UN sanctions agreement. &nbsp; 
&quot;No. The two countries have made a decision,&quot; he told Reuters. 
 
Although China remains opposed to the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, it has agreed to work with the UN on imposing tough sanctions on North Korea.&nbsp; 
 
According to The Diplomat, THAAD is particularly well-suited to intercept and destroy short, medium and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

US says THAAD missile deployment system not negotiable as part of new sanctions on the country

North Korea's foreign minister on Friday said North Korea will continue to strengthen its "national nuclear armed forces in both quantity and quality" despite UN sanctions. Ri Yong Ho during his address to the United Nations General Assembly said the country's nuclear weapons are a "a righteous self-defence measure" against "constant nuclear threats of the United States". "Going nuclear-armed is the policy of our state," Yong Ho said. North Korea is the "most dangerous hotspot, which can even ignite the outbreak of nuclear war" and the blame will lie "squarely" with the US, the foreign minister said. "As long as there exists a nuclear-weapon state in hostile relations with the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), our national security and peace on the Korean peninsula can be defended only with reliable nuclear deterrence," he said. Ri also said the UN Security Council's decision to impose sanctions was only "covering up the high-handedness and arbitrariness of the United States". The country conducted its fifth and largest nuclear test on September 9, igniting global ire and condemnation. This has led to talks on imposing new UN sanctions against the isolated country. No negotiations on THAAD Daniel Russel, the US assistant secretary of state for East Asia, said there will be no negotiations regarding the THAAD anti-missile system, which is set to be deployed in South Korea, as part of the UN sanctions agreement. "No. The two countries have made a decision," he told Reuters. Although China remains opposed to the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, it has agreed to work with the UN on imposing tough sanctions on North Korea. According to The Diplomat, THAAD is particularly well-suited to intercept and destroy short, medium and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase. (WION with inputs from agencies)

North Korea defies UN, vows to strengthen nuclear capability

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