Ri Yong-ho vs Tanuma Okitsugu

Ri Yong-ho was appointed Foreign Minister of North Korea in 2016, replacing Ri Su-yong. He was a veteran diplomat who had served as ambassador to the United Kingdom and as a nuclear negotiator.

Ri Yong-ho addressed the United Nations General Assembly in 2017, where he threatened to test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean. His speech escalated tensions with the U.S. and led to increased sanctions against North Korea.

Ri Yong-ho was a key member of the North Korean delegation at the first U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore. He participated in working-level discussions on denuclearization and security guarantees, though the summit's joint statement was vague.

Ri Yong-ho accompanied Kim Jong-un to the second U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi. He was involved in the negotiations that ultimately broke down over disagreements on sanctions relief and denuclearization steps.

Tanuma Okitsugu was appointed roju under Shogun Tokugawa Ieharu. He became the dominant figure in the shogunate, implementing policies that promoted commerce and trade, breaking with the traditional agrarian focus.

Tanuma encouraged the growth of merchant guilds, reduced restrictions on trade, and promoted the development of domestic industries. His policies led to economic expansion and increased government revenue but also caused inflation and social disruption.

Tanuma implemented a series of reforms including land surveys to increase tax revenue, promotion of foreign trade through Nagasaki, and encouragement of new industries like mining and silk production. These reforms modernized the economy but faced opposition from conservative samurai.

Upon Shogun Ieharu's death, Tanuma was forced to resign by his conservative rivals led by Matsudaira Sadanobu. His policies were reversed, and he was placed under house arrest, marking the end of his reformist era.