With North Korea and the U.S. expected to sit down for working-level talks in the next few weeks, chief negotiator Kim Myong Gil last Friday issued a statement welcoming U.S. President Donald Trump’s new openness to exploring a “new method” in diplomacy.

But more significant than the statement was the long-awaited confirmation by the DPRK that Kim Myong Gil is now serving as its “chief delegate” in working-level negotiations with the U.S.

All eyes will now be on Kim (60), then, to see whether he can succeed where his predecessors failed and secure a deal with the U.S. that provides the