Key facts
- North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong plans to attend the U.N. General Assembly's high-level general debate.
- The debate is scheduled to take place from September 22 to September 26, with Kim scheduled to speak on September 28.
- Kim previously attended the General Assembly in 2025, reiterating North Korea's commitment to its nuclear program.
- During his visit, Kim is expected to meet with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and officials from Cuba and Venezuela.
- North Korea had not sent high-level officials to the U.N. General Assembly for six years prior to 2024.
North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong is scheduled to attend the high-level general debate of the U.N. General Assembly in New York next week, according to a U.N. source. The debate is set to take place from September 22 to September 26, with Kim slated to deliver a speech on September 28.
Kim previously attended the U.N. General Assembly in 2025, where he reiterated North Korea's stance on its nuclear program. During his upcoming visit, he is expected to engage in meetings with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and officials from countries allied with North Korea, including Cuba and Venezuela.
The vice minister's participation and message at the U.N. gathering are anticipated to be closely observed by Washington, particularly in light of U.S. President Donald Trump's stated intention to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year. Pyongyang had previously abstained from sending high-level officials to the U.N. General Assembly for six years, a period that followed the unsuccessful summit between Trump and Kim Jong-un in February 2019.