백악관 "김영철 뉴욕 방문, 금주중 폼페이오와 고위급 회담" + 北美, 싱가포르서 의전 협의
Kim Yong-chol's visit to the U.S. will be the first by a North Korean official of his rank in 18 years.
After rescheduling his departure multiple times, he took an Air China flight at 1 o'clock this afternoon, Beijing time, which will put him New York at around 2:20 in the afternoon on Wednesday, local time.
He was accompanied by another top official, Choe Kang-il, who's in charge of North American affairs at Pyongyang's foreign ministry.
When Kim Yong-chol meets Mike Pompeo, they're expected to discuss the issues of denuclearization and a security guarantee for the North Korean regime.
Kim and Pompeo have had similar jobs -- both as head of their countries' intelligence agencies and as top aides to Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump respectively.
So reports say it's possible that Kim Yong-chol will personally deliver a letter to President Trump, much like when Pompeo twice met with the North Korean leader in Pyongyang.