North Korean foreign minister returns home after month-long trip

BEIJING, May 19 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's foreign minister took a flight home
from Beijing on Tuesday, wrapping up a month-long trip to countries in Central
and South America.
Pak Ui-chun did not respond to reporters' questions as he came to Beijing Capital
International Airport before boarding an Air Koryo plane bound for Pyongyang.
Diplomatic watchers say Pak likely met with his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi,
after he arrived in Beijing a day earlier. Before embarking on his trip on April
25, Pak is believed to have met with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya
as Yang was away on a business trip.
Pak attended the ministerial meeting of the Coordination Bureau of the Movement
of Non-Aligned Countries, a network of nations not aligned with major Western
powers, in Cuba. He also visited Peru and Brazil.
Pak is expected to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum to be held in Thailand in July.
hkim@yna.co.kr
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