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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| North Korea foreign minister dies | North Korea foreign minister dies |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| North Korea's Foreign Minister Paek Nam-sun has died, according to the country's official media. | North Korea's Foreign Minister Paek Nam-sun has died, according to the country's official media. |
| In a one-sentence despatch, North Korea's KCNA news agency said the North's leader Kim Jong-il expressed his condolences over Paek's death. | In a one-sentence despatch, North Korea's KCNA news agency said the North's leader Kim Jong-il expressed his condolences over Paek's death. |
| Paek, 78, was one of only a few North Korean officials who was widely known in the West. | Paek, 78, was one of only a few North Korean officials who was widely known in the West. |
| But analysts do not expect his death to impact on the North's foreign policy, which has been largely set by Mr Kim. | |
| The KCNA report gave no indication as to the cause of death, but Paek had been rumoured to be ill for some time, possibly with chronic kidkey failure. | |
| "Leader Kim Jong-il Wednesday sent a wreath to the bier of the late Foreign Minister Paek Nam-sun... expressing deep condolences over his death," KCNA reported. | "Leader Kim Jong-il Wednesday sent a wreath to the bier of the late Foreign Minister Paek Nam-sun... expressing deep condolences over his death," KCNA reported. |
| Paek had been foreign minister since 1998 and played a key role in high-level talks on inter-Korean relations as well as North Korea's nuclear programme. | Paek had been foreign minister since 1998 and played a key role in high-level talks on inter-Korean relations as well as North Korea's nuclear programme. |
| In recent years, ill health had forced him to step back from the negotiating table, a South Korean government official was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying. | In recent years, ill health had forced him to step back from the negotiating table, a South Korean government official was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying. |
| One of his deputies, Kim Kye-gwan, led the North Korean delegation at the most recent six-party talks. | One of his deputies, Kim Kye-gwan, led the North Korean delegation at the most recent six-party talks. |
| Paek's last major appearance was at an Asean meeting in Kuala Lumpur in July 2006, where, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, he received medical treatment. | Paek's last major appearance was at an Asean meeting in Kuala Lumpur in July 2006, where, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, he received medical treatment. |