This image from the Korean Central Television shows Ri Son-gwon while serving as the director of the United Front Department. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — Ri Son-gwon, director of North Korea’s abolished United Front Department (UFD) in charge of affairs with South Korea, appears to have retained his political status even after the department’s purported dissolution, according to state media on Friday.
The Korean Central News Agency reported that Ri attended a banquet held the previous day for a visiting art troupe of Korean schoolchildren from Japan and gave a speech, referring to his official title as department director of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK)’s Central Committee.
The report confirms Ri’s retention of directorial status, refuting speculation that he may have been demoted after the UFD was reportedly abolished as part of North Korea’s policy shift on the South.
The latest report indicates that he may be heading one of the specialized departments under the WPK, apart from the abolished organization.
North Korea is presumed to have disbanded all of its roughly 10 official organizations responsible for addressing inter-Korean issues, following leader Kim Jong-un’s 2023 order to codify South Korea as its primary foe.
As part of the organizational revamp, the UFD was reported to have been downgraded in status and renamed “Bureau 10″ of the party’s Central Committee.
Kim In-ae, deputy spokesperson of South Korea’s unification ministry, said in a briefing that despite the renaming, the entity retains its department status within the party, with its head, Ri, also maintaining his directorial position.
Ri has had a prominent role in North Korea’s officialdom, having served as a member of the party’s powerful politburo and as foreign minister from 2020-2022.
(Yonhap)
