North Korea Leadership Watch

Research and Analysis on the DPRK Leadership

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

Memorial Events Held to Mark Death of Marshal Hyon Chol Hae

DPRK elites marked the one-year anniversary of the death of KPA Marshal Hyon Chol Hae (Hyo’n Ch’o’l-hae) on 19 May (Friday). Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n; KJU) and Minister of National Defense Gen. Kang Sun […]

May, 21

Gen Z’s Volunteer for KPA Service

The DPRK’s university students and other young people are volunteering to join, or rejoin, the Korean People’s Army [KPA] with “800,000 youth league officials and students across the country” on 17 March (Friday) and the […]

Mar, 22

CMC Holds Meeting

The Workers’ Party of Korea [WPK] Central Military Commission [CMC] met in an enlarged session (or held on an expansion basis) at the WPK Central Committee Office Building on 12 March (Sunday).  Technically, this was […]

Mar, 14

Former GPB Boss Attends KJU Photo-op

  Former Korean People’s Army [KPA] General Political Bureau [GPB] Director Kwon Yong Jin (Kwon Yo’ng-chin) has resurfaced after being removed from office in June 2022.  Kwon attended a commemorative photo-op with Kim Jong Un […]

Jul, 30

Navigation

Please use the navigation to move within this section.

An affiliate of 38 North