North Korea appoints first female FM

North Korea has appointed veteran diplomat Choe Son-hui as its first female foreign minister, state media reported yesterday, as Pyongyang pushes ahead with a blitz of sanctions-busting weapons tests and ignores US calls for talks.

Choe, who formerly served as the North‍‍`s vice foreign minister, was tapped to lead the foreign ministry at a ruling party meeting overseen by leader Kim Jong Un, the state media KCNA reported.

She replaces Ri Son Gwon, a hardline former military official who previously led talks with the South.

A career diplomat who speaks fluent English, Choe served as a close aide to Kim during nuclear talks with the United States.

Diplomacy between Pyongyang and Washington have since stalled, with the Kim regime in recent months not responding to the United States‍‍` repeated offers to return to negotiations.