North Korea Leadership Watch

Research and Analysis on the DPRK Leadership

State media clarifies Ri Son Gwon Status

DPRK state media has identified Ri Son Gwon (Ri So’n-kwon) as a Workers’ Party of Korea [WPK] Central Committee Director.  During a 9 January banquet hosted for the student performing arts troupe representing Ch’ongryo’n (Chosen […]

Jan, 10

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

KJU Observes Hypersonic IRBM Test

  Kim Jong Un (KJU; Kim Cho’ng-u’n) gave himself an early birthday present (8 January) and observed the test firing of an intermediate-range [IRBM] hypersonic missile during the early afternoon [KST] of 6 January.  Also […]

Jan, 06

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

MID-le Managers

The Workers’ Party of Korea [WPK] Munitions Industry Department [MID] currently has two senior deputy directors (a/k/a 1st Vice Directors), Kim Jong Sik (Kim Cho’ng-sik) and Hong Sung Mu (Hong Su’ng-mu).  Kim was promoted some […]

Sep, 13

Kim Family Residence #85 Gets Rusty

The Kim Family’s Tongpy’ongyang Residence, better known as and hereafter Residence #85, continues to fall into a state of disrepair.  Various buildings on the grounds, including Residence #85 itself, are covered in rust.  Trees and […]

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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