Paek Nam-sun, foreign minister of North Korea, has died at 78, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Wednesday.

The KCNA didn't give any details about Paek's death. The report said North Korea's top leader Kim Jong-il sent a wreath to Paek's bier and expressed deep condolences over his death.

Paek, who was once North Korea's ambassador to Poland, was appointed as foreign minister in 1998. He paid a last formal visit to China in June, 2006.

(Xinhua News Agency January 4, 2007)