North Korea Leadership Watch

Research and Analysis on the DPRK Leadership

Changes to KPA Corps Commanders (corrected and revised 3 November 2025)

revised and corrected to reflect no change in XI Corps Command (SOF) and deleted  redundant photo to show KPA Strategic Force commander Kim Jong Gil The 10 October 2025 military parade marking the 80th anniversary […]

Oct, 15

Images of KPA Overseas Mission Return Performance

As part of a series of events held to mark the first group of military personnel returning from Russia, a performance was held at the 25 April House of Culture in Pyongyang on or around […]

Aug, 25

Plenary Personnel

North Korea made a series of personnel changes during the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) 11th plenary session, held December 23-December 27.  Although some analyses make far too much of the correlation between personnel and […]

Jan, 04

No Kwang Chol Returns as Defense Minister

Gen. No Kwang Chol (No Kwang-ch’o’l) was appointed Minister of National Defense during the 11th session of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly [SPA] held 7-8 October (Monday and Tuesday).  He replaces Gen. Kang Sun Nam […]

Oct, 08

New 1st Vice Chief of the General Staff

Lt. Gen. Jong Myong Do (Cho’ng Myo’ng-to) has been identified as 1st Vice Chief of the Korean People’s Army [KPA] General Staff in two 6 October state media reports on Kim Jong Un’s (KJU; Kim […]

Oct, 06

Kim Kyong Ok’s 85th

DPRK state media and the Party History Institute have released Volume 33 of a documentary film series on deceased core elite.  This series compiles short biographies on the careers of recently deceased North Korean officials.  […]

Oct, 06

KJU Hosts Dinner for Navy Day (updated 30 August)

Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n; KJU) hosted a banquet with Korean People’s Army [KPA] Navy command and political command staff on 27 August (Saturday).  The event appeared to have taken place on the premises of […]

Aug, 29

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