Party Congress Drinks Last of the Summer Wine

Choe Ryong Hae departs from the pre-party congress Political Bureau meeting (Photo: KCTV)

We are close to the end of the 9th Party Congress.   With the election of the 9th Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) Central Committee we have the first personnel changes effected by the congress.

North Korea’s so-called second generation has started to be shown the exit door.  Two second generation princelings, outgoing SPA Chairman Choe Ryong Hae (Ch’oe Ryong-hae) and outgoing WPK Civil Defense Department Director O Il Jong (O Il-cho’ng) were not returned to the WPK Central Committee.  Both are the sons of members of Kim Il Sung’s 88th Sniper Brigade—Choe being the son Choe Hyon and O Il Jong the second son of O Jin U.   Both came into stable first-tier positions at the 3rd Party Conference in September 2010 and it is highly probable both have been cashiered in true core elite fashion—asset confiscation and breaking up their patronage networks.

The retirements of Choe Ryong Hae and O Il Jong raise the question of whether the So’ngbun system has the social strength in DPRK political culture that it had in the past.  A lot more “dirt spoons” seem to be coming down the pike.  The old caste system ain’t what she used to be so it’s about time Pyongyang watchers formulate new metrics for assessing core elites, rather than relying on dated criteria.

Outgoing Civil Defense Department Director O Il Jong (a), Ri Pyong Chol (b) and Ri Son Gwon (c) at an event opening in December 2025 (Photo: KCTV).

O Su Yong (left in the hot tub) at the opening of the Onp’o resort (Photo; KCTV)

The more obvious second generation retirements from the Central Committee involve Ri Pyong Chol (Ri Pyo’ng-ch’o’l), O Su Yong (O Su-yo’ng) and Kim Yong Chol (Kim Yo’ng-ch’o’l).   Ri and O both assumed “senior adviser” positions during 2025.  Despite O Su Yong serving as a surrogate for Kim Tok Hun (Kim Tok-hun) at some local industry openings in December 2025, he and Ri Pyong Chol started to appear together in less prominent seats (in some case de-platformed) at public events.

Kim Yong Chol also retired.  Like O and Ri, Kim held an adviser’s position.  Kim Yong Chol’s protégé outgoing WPK Office #10 (f/k/a United Front Department) chief Ri Son Gwon (Ri Son-kwon) also appears to be exiting high office in the regime, as he was not elected to the 9th Central Committee.

Given the probable Central Committee election of former United Front Department Director Jang Kum Song (Chang Kum-so’ng), it likely Jang will replace Ri Son Gwon when the 9th Central Committee holds its first plenary session on the party congress’ sidelines.  An elite resembling Jang appears to have joined the leadership visiting party to Ku’msusan on 16 February for KJI’s birthday

A DPRK elite who resembles former UFD Director Jang Kum Chol at Ku’msusan on 16 February 2025