New York:North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong has embarked on a trip to New York to participate in the 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim, leading a North Korean delegation, departed from Pyongyang on Tuesday. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) did not provide specific details about his itinerary.

Kim is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Monday, the final day of the General Debate. This session is an annual high-level meeting where member states discuss their positions on key international issues.

In the previous session, Kim emphasized North Korea's position on maintaining its nuclear arsenal. Since the unsuccessful 2019 summit in Hanoi between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump, North Korea had not sent minister-level officials to the assembly for six years, with its U.N. Ambassador Kim Song representing instead.

Former North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong participated in the U.N. General Assembly from 2014 to 2015, followed by his successor Ri Yong-ho from 2016 to 2018.