Seasoned N. Korean diplomat seen as being ill: ex-German politician

A seasoned North Korean diplomat is  apparently suffering from an illness and he has looked noticeably  gaunt, a former German politician who has recently made a visit to Pyongyang said Monday.

A delegation of European political figures, including Jonathan Powell, Wolfgang Nowak and Glyn Ford, visited the North from July 13 to 17. After visiting Pyongyang, the delegation has come to Seoul to have talks with ranking government officials including Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo.

"We were surprised that Mr. Kang was seriously ill and he came from a hospital to receive us," Nowak said at the start of the meeting with Hong, apparently referring to Kang Sok-ju, a secretary handling international relations for the North's ruling Workers' Party.

Nowak, a former German Social Democrat Party politician, said that they were "shocked" to have seen that Kang has apparently lost some 20 kilograms.

The North's Korean Central News Agency said in its English dispatch on July 14 that "Kang met and had a talk with a delegation of politicians from various political parties of Europe headed by chief executive officer of Inter Mediate Jonathan Powell."

Powell is a former chief of staff to ex-British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Inter Mediate, a Britain-based non-government organization, said that "this visit is part of a long-term informal dialogue started over three years ago between European political figures and DPRK leaders." 

The DPRK is the acronym of North Korea's official name -- the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Kang, 76, was involved in crafting the 1994 Agreed Framework between the U.S. and the North, which later collapsed.

Under the agreement, Pyongyang promised to freeze its nuclear activities in return for light water reactors and oil as well as a gradual normalization of diplomatic ties.

A government source also told Yonhap News Agency that there is a "high" possibility that Kang is suffering from some health problems, without elaborating on it.

"In the past, he had been kept out of the public eye for a long time. Given (an analysis) of his recent photos, there is a high chance that Kang has some health problems," the source said. "But given Kang has recently visited Cuba, he is presumed to be doing his job as normal."

In late-June, Kang made a visit to Cuba where he met with Cuba's leader Raul Castro in Havana in a bid to cement the two nations' friendly relationship, according to the KCNA. (Yonhap)