North Korea Ri Son Gwon, a former defense commander with limited diplomatic experience, as its new foreign minister.Some experts say the move is a sign that North Korea is ready to toughen its stance on nuclear talks with the US.

Ri has led numerous inter-Korean talks over the past 15 years as the chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country, the organization which handles South Korean affairs. However, he lacks experience negotiating with the United States and with nuclear issues.

The appointment surprised North Korea experts amid stalled denuclearization talks with Washington, as Ri’s predecessor had significantly more experience negotiating with the US.