Yonhap, citing a source in Berne and general diplo gossip, reports that Ri Chol is leaving his posts. He is concurrently the DPRK’s Ambassador to Switzerland and to the UN Mission in Geneva. While Ambassador […]
Kim Jong-il attended a mass rally in Hamhung, South Hamgyong, to commemorate the re-opening (or is it un-mothballing?) of the 8 February Vinalon Complex. Yonhap reports: North Korea often organizes such pro-government rallies, forcing […]
Kim Jong-ryul, a former KPA Colonel and employee of Kim Il-sung’s secretariat (and perhaps KJI’s Personal Secretariat), has told his story to two Austrian journalists and released a memoir in German Im Dienst des Diktators: […]
Mainichi Shimbun reports of an alleged Kim Jong-il trip to China. Citing an anonymous “diplomatic official in Beijing” the recent delegation led by KWP International Department Director Kim Yong-il is an advance team for a […]
In the last successor gossip, Dong-a Ilbo reports that hereditary successor Kim Jong-un presided over KPA artillery drills in January near the West Sea, citing “a ranking source in Pyongyang.” This seems to add a […]
Choson Ilbo has a profile on the man who shadows Kim Jong-il at his meetings with the Chinese. Citing a weekly Hong Kong newspaper, CI identifies KJI’s interpreter as Kim Song-nam, a China specialist at […]
Kim Jong-il February 2010 Appearances (PDF) In February 2010 Kim Jong-il was reported to have made public appearances 12 times at 11 different locations (he visited the 8 February Vinalon Complex twice). This is nearly […]