North Korea Leadership Watch

Research and Analysis on the DPRK Leadership

Where dog soldiers are reflected

Several public events marked the  8 February anniversary of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) foundation, including Kim Jong Un (KJU; Kim Cho’ng-u’n) visiting the defense ministry’s compound.  Anniversary events will occasionally bring out retired senior […]

Feb, 09

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

RPC’s Advisorial Relationship

Ri Pyong Chol (Ri Pyo’ng-ch’o’l) has been identified by that august of titles “General Advisor.”  During Kim Jong Un’s (KJU; Kim Cho’ng-u’n) 25-26 March inspection of the Unmanned Aerial Technology Complex under the Academy of […]

Mar, 29

Guesstimating NK Troop Presence in Eastern Europe

According to the US Government, North Korea has about 12,000 personnel deployed to Russia.  Using the few, scant accurate details about the Korean People’s Army (KPA) deployment we might attain a general sense of the […]

Jan, 10

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

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

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