Why is Kim Son-gyong attending the U.N. General Assembly in New York next week?

Kim Son-gyong is scheduled to take part in the high-level segment of the General Assembly and deliver a speech on the last day of the general debate. He is also expected to meet U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and officials from countries friendly to North Korea, including Cuba and Venezuela.

When will North Korea speak at the U.N. General Assembly this year?

The high-level general debate is set for Sept. 22 to Sept. 26, and Kim Son-gyong is scheduled to speak on Sept. 28, the last day of the debate. The source said he plans to take the podium then.

What does Kim Son-gyong’s U.N. attendance mean for North Korea’s diplomacy?

His visit is being closely watched by Washington because Donald Trump has said he wants to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year. The report also says Pyongyang resumed high-level U.N. attendance in 2024 after a six-year gap that followed the 2019 Hanoi summit.

N. Korean vice FM to attend UN General Assembly next week: source

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Summary

North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong is expected to attend the U.N. General Assembly high-level segment in New York next week. He is scheduled to speak on the last day of the general debate, Sept. 28, and may meet U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and officials from Cuba and Venezuela. His attendance is drawing attention as Washington watches for Pyongyang’s message ahead of a possible meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un later this year.

Key Facts

The high-level general debate is set to run from Sept. 22 to Sept. 26, with Sept. 28 reserved for Kim Son-gyong’s speech.
Kim also attended last year’s General Assembly and said North Korea would never give up its nuclear program under any circumstances.
Pyongyang did not send high-level officials to the U.N. General Assembly for six years until 2024, following the no-deal Hanoi summit in February 2019.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 18, 2026 7:59 am KST

North Korean Vice Minister Kim Son-gyong speaks during the General Debate of the 80th session of the U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, Sept. 29, 2025. EPA-Yonhap

WASHINGTON — North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong plans to attend a high-level segment of the U.N. General Assembly set to begin in New York next week, a source at the international body said Thursday.

Kim is scheduled to attend the General Assembly's high-level general debate, which is set to take place from Sept. 22 to Sept. 26, and on Sept. 28, according to the source. On the last day of the general debate, the vice minister plans to take the podium for a speech.

He also attended last year's General Assembly, during which he reiterated that North Korea would never give up its nuclear program "under any circumstances."

During his upcoming visit to New York, Kim is expected to meet with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and officials from countries friendly to North Korea, such as Cuba and Venezuela.

The vice minister's message during his planned attendance at the U.N. gathering is expected to be keenly watched by Washington as U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his intention to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year.

Pyongyang had not sent any high-level officials to the U.N. General Assembly for six years until 2024, following the no-deal summit between Trump and the North Korean leader in Hanoi in February 2019.

Ri Su-yong, then foreign minister, attended the Assembly from 2014-2015, while Ri Yong-ho, then foreign minister, participated from 2016 to 2018.

sshluck@yna.co.kr

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