北 리용호 유엔총회 불참 통보..기조연설자 대사급으로 격하
North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho will not attend this year's UN General Assembly which begins on September 17th.
Pyeongyang had previously informed the UN that Ri would deliver a keynote speech,... but notified the global body on Saturday... that an ambassador-level official would step up to the podium instead.
There were expectations that Ri could hold a sideline meeting with his U.S. counterpart Mike Pompeo at the UN... to negotiate a possible resumption of nuclear talks.
Some analysts say... that Pyeongyang may be avoiding further contact with Washington... as part of its hardening stance on the U.S.