North Korea’s appointment of longtime diplomat Choe Son Hui as foreign minister could signal a break in Pyongyang’s policies toward the U.S. and South Korea, a former top U.S. official told NK News on Saturday.

Stephen Biegun, deputy secretary of state and special representative for North Korea under U.S. President Trump, said the selection of Choe to replace Ri Son Gwon — who will now oversee inter-Korean affairs — likely concludes Pyongyang’s short-lived approach of engaging the two allies at the same time.