North Korea appoints new foreign minister

SEOUL, May 17 (UPI) -- North Korea appointed a veteran diplomat as its foreign minister.

Ri Yong Ho, who once served as Pyongyang's primary nuclear negotiator, replaces Ri Su Yong, the BBC reported Tuesday.

The outgoing foreign minister was promoted during the Seventh Party Congress, according to Seoul's unification ministry.

Ri Yong Ho played a leading role as North Korea's representative for the six-party talks and participated in talks with the United States in the 1990s.

He was also Pyongyang's ambassador to Britain.

Some experts say the country is looking to ease tensions after conducting its fourth nuclear test in January, the launch of a long-range rocket in February for "peaceful" purposes, and a series of missile tests, according to the BBC.

But North Korea has also defended its weapons program and Kim Jong Un announced that Pyongyang is ready to become a "responsible nuclear weapons state."

The United States and South Korea have refused to negotiate with North Korea unless Pyongyang is willing to suspend the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

North Korea's diplomatic efforts are also not going unnoticed in Africa.

South Korea's foreign ministry spokesman Cho Joon-hyuk told reporters Tuesday that Kim Yong Nam, chairman of the Presidium of the supreme people's Assembly of North Korea, was on tour of African countries.

Kim was most recently seen at Beijing's Capital International Airport, News 1 reported.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye is also traveling across Africa as part of a state visit, but Cho said the North Korea movements don't appear to be related to Seoul's activities.