North Korea Leadership Watch

Research and Analysis on the DPRK Leadership

Gen. O Kuk Ryol (1930-2023)

  Gen. O Kuk Ryol (O Kuk-yo’l), a retired former senior national security official and close adviser and friend of late DPRK leader Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho’ng-il), died of heart failure on the morning […]

Feb, 14

Choe Ryong Hae to OGD? [revised 13 JAN 2018]

Yonhap reports that Choe Ryong Hae [Ch’oe Ryong-hae] was appointed director of the Workers’ Party of Korea [WPK] Organization Guidance Department [OGD] (officially called the Organizational Leadership Department) during the October 2017 plenary meeting of […]

Jan, 11

DPRK Conducts 6th Nuclear Test

The DPRK conducted its sixth nuclear test at (NKST) on September 3 (Sunday).  According to the Nuclear Weapons Institute’s report: Scientists in the nuclear field of the DPRK successfully carried out a test of H-bomb […]

Sep, 04

Kim Jong Un Resurfaces

When a train crossed the DPRK-PRC border on 26 May, the occupant was said to be Kim Cho’ng-u’n.  Pyongyang watchers widely anticipated the hereditary successor’s sojourn to the PRC in 2011, similar to Kim Cho’ng-il’s […]

May, 30
Jang Song Taek to Visit PRC this Weekend?

Jang Song Taek to Visit PRC this Weekend?

Chang So’ng-t’aek (Jang Song Taek) will reportedly visit cities in and around Jilin Province, PRC, on Saturday [21 May].  If this trip occurs, it would be Chang’s first reported trip to the PRC since Kim […]

May, 17

Footsteps and Insteps

Has Kim Cho’ng-il changed his shoes? Around 12 May [Thursday] Kim Cho’ng-il was reported to have visited Kujang Fish Farm.  Yonhap reports on the photograph released of his visit: North Korean leader Kim Jong Il […]

May, 17

Jong Un Trial Balloon to Beijing (Or a stalking horse to Jilin?)

2010 was the year Pyongyang watchers  waited for Kim Cho’ng-il to travel to China.  KCI managed to live up to the hype, as news photographers staked out his private train.  When the media veil under […]

May, 08

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