We could be seeing some changes to North Korea's denuclearization negotiations going forward.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's right-hand man who's been in charge of nuclear talks with the U.S. has been removed from his post.
Kim Hyo-sun explains.
North Korea has replaced its top nuclear negotiator Kim Yong-chol, who has been the counterpart to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
He has been replaced by Jang Kum-chol, a member of the North’s Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee.
That's according to South Korean lawmaker Lee Hye-hoon, who heads the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee,... citing a source from Seoul's intelligence agency.
He explained Kim appears to have been censured after the second North-U.S. summit ended prematurely with no deal.
However, Lee also added it's too early to tell whether Kim Yong-chol is completely out of the regime's political picture.
Kim Yong-chol's absence in the North's delegation to Russia accompanying the regime's leader also raised speculation over his possible replacement.
With the replacement of Kim, a hardline military commander,... analysts foresee changes in future denuclearization negotiations between Pyeongyang and Washington.
Some also predict the focus of denuclearization negotiations could now be shifted to the regime's foreign ministry from the ruling party Central Committee's United Front Department, which was formerly headed by Kim Yong-chol.
Jang Kum-chol, who is barely known to the outside world, is reportedly in his late 50s and has a career of working for civilian exchanges between the two Koreas.
In response to the news,... the U.S. State Department has reiterated its stance that it will continue to engage in constructive dialogue with the regime,... without commenting further.
Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News.
