North Korea has replaced its deputy ambassador to the UN.
 
The North’s Permanent Mission to the UN said its former deputy ambassador, Ri Tong-il, returned to the North around two weeks ago and that An Myong-hun has succeeded Ri.
 
South Korea’s Permanent Mission to the UN said An came to New York around two months ago and attended meetings of deputy ambassadors as part of preparations to assume his new post. The North appears to have replaced Ri as he had already served for five years as deputy ambassador.
 
Some insiders in the world organization, however, have raised the possibility that the replacement was a reprimand as it comes as a UN resolution calling for the North’s human rights conditions to be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) is likely to be passed at the UN General Assembly’s plenary meeting this week.
 
An served as a councillor in the North’s Permanent Mission to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva and as deputy director of the U.S. bureau at the North’s Foreign Ministry.