In May 2016, Ri Su-yong was replaced by Ri Yong-ho as the foreign minister. The shuffle was followed by the 7th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, which elected Ri Su-yong a full member and Vice Chairman of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, a full member of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea, and the director of the party's International Relations Department. He was also appointed to the State Affairs Commission. In 2017, he was elected chairman of the Diplomatic Commission of the Supreme People's Assembly.