According to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of North Korea on February 19, North Korea appointed Lee Longnan as North Korea’s ambassador to China. Lee Longnan is the Deputy Prime Minister and former Trade Minister of North Korea.
Chi Yae-ryong, the former ambassador of North Korea to China, was 79 years old and took office in 2010. Yonhap News Agency analyzed that North Korea’s change of ambassador to China is aimed at strengthening economic cooperation with China.
Li Longnan is a trade expert. He was the deputy prime minister, trade minister and foreign economic minister of the Ministry of Trade (the predecessor of the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations).
Since 2019, he has served as an alternate member of the Politburo and deputy prime minister of the cabinet.
