SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea has dispatched a government delegation to participate in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit being held in Uganda, as reported by state media on Sunday. This move marks a significant step in the country's ongoing diplomatic efforts within international forums.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the delegation is led by Kim Son-kyong, the vice foreign minister responsible for international organizations. The team left Pyongyang on Saturday to join the summit, which is scheduled from January 15 to 20. The Non-Aligned Movement, comprising 120 member countries, is a significant international organization of states not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. North Korea has been an active participant in the NAM since the era of its founding leader, Kim Il-sung.
In addition to their participation in the NAM summit, the North Korean delegation is set to attend the Third South Summit in Uganda. This event, taking place from January 21 to 23, serves as the principal decision-making forum of the Group of 77, a coalition of developing nations. The KCNA notes this engagement as part of the delegation's itinerary.
The presence of North Korea at these summits is interpreted as a strategic move in line with leader Kim Jong-un's directives issued earlier this year. These instructions emphasized the need to bolster relations with nations and groups positioned against the United States, indicating a continued focus on international alliances outside of traditional power structures.