N. Korea’s Choe Ryong Hae arrives in Rio for Olympics

N. Korea’s Choe Ryong Hae arrives in Rio for Olympics. August. 06, 2016 07:03. by 조숭호기자 shcho@donga.com.

Choe Ryong Hae, vice chairman of the North Korean Workers’ Party’s Central Committee, arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Thursday, five days after his departure from Pyongyang. He is expected to visit Cuba again on his way back to North Korea.

“August 13 is the birthday of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro,” a diplomatic source in Seoul said on Friday. “There is a chance Vice Chairman Choe could visit Cuba as delegation to congratulate Castro’s birthday and emphasize affinity as a brotherly country.”

After leaving Pyongyang on July 30, the North's No. 2 man arrived in China the same day and went to the North Korean embassy in Beijing. He stayed there for two days and was believed to have left Beijing on Monday, but his itinerary since was unknown.

“It is known that Choe Ryong Hae went to Cuba via Panama, and took a transit flight again there for Rio de Janeiro,” a diplomatic source said.