North Korea Leadership Watch

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

New Artillery Commander

Ryu Chang Son (Yu Chang-son) was appointed head of the Korean People’s Army [KPA] Artillery Command. Ryu is a one-star Major General (sojang) and was longtime rector and dean of the O Jin U Military […]

Aug, 12

State Security Boss Does Moscow

Col. Gen. Ri Chang Dae (Ri Ch’ang-tae) Minister of State Security (State Security Department [SSD] Director) visited Russia to attend the 13th annual meeting of High Ranking Security Officers (held 27-29 May) sponsored by the […]

Jun, 02

Problem in the Control Tower

DPRK political culture finds itself undergoing a major transition in organization, processes and personnel. With personnel changes made during the 11th plenary session of the Workers’ Party of Korea [WPK] Central Committee held in December […]

Apr, 15

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

KJU Meets Shoigu

Kim Jong Un (KJU; Kim Cho’ng-u’n) met Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Security Council on 21 March (Friday). This was Shoigu’s third visit to the DPRK since July 2023 and his second within the […]

Mar, 27

20 x 10 = Party-Army Solidarity?

The first phase of the 20 x 10 Plan’s opening of regional factories seemed to have drawn to a close in mid-February. An homage to Kim Jong Il’s Changsong County local economic development movement, […]

Feb, 25

Ri Il Hwan, where you at?

Workers’ Party of Korea [WPK] Secretary Ri Il Hwan (Ri Il-hwan) has not appeared at public events or state media in about four weeks. This is not necessarily a lengthy absence for a North Korean […]

Feb, 12

DID Cracks Down on Cadres

The 5 February edition of Rodong Sinmun has two editorials encouraging upright behavior and decrying corruption and abuse of power among North Korean officials and cadres. The 30th meeting of the Workers’ Party of Korea […]

Feb, 10