North Korean diplomat Choe Kang-il, an expert on US affairs, has been appointed as the new ambassador to Austria, replacing a son-in-law of the country’s founder Kim Il-sung, according to North’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday. 

Choe, a deputy director general for North American affairs at North Korea’s Foreign Ministry, has been part of nuclear talks with the US, including working-level negotiations ahead of US-North Korea summits in Singapore and Hanoi. He was also part of North Korea’s delegation to the closing ceremony of the PyongChang Winter Olympics in 2018, accompanying Kim Yong-chul, vice chairman of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party. 

Choe replaced Kim Kwang-sop, who is married to Kim Kyong-jin, the half-sister of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, the father of current leader Kim Jong-un. 

He has served as the country’s top diplomat in Austria for 27 years since 1993. Seoul’s National Intelligence Service speculates he was recalled back to the North late last year, along with Kim Pyong-il, former ambassador to Czech Republic and the exiled uncle of Kim Jong-un. 

North’s Foreign Ministry also confirmed Kim Pyong-il was replaced by Ju Won-chol, a diplomat with expertise in Europe, as the top diplomat to Czech Republic. 

The latest announcement confirms speculation that Kim Jong-un has summoned his distant family members back to North Korea, after several decades spent in overseas. Some believes North’s third-generation leader has solidified grip of the regime enough, to feel less threatened by their return, while others suggest Kim is recalling them for a close watch. 

The Foreign Ministry also announced Ambassador to Britain Choe Il as the top diplomat to Poland, Ambassador to Singapore Jong Song-il as the new ambassador to South Africa, and Han Song-u as the new ambassador to Iran.

By Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)