North Korean Policy Elites - Defense Technical Information Center

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Table IV-1. Composition of the National Security Establishment (continued) Organization Name Title Ministry of People’s Security 17 Ch’oe Ryong-su Ri Yong-il So Chun-bong Kang Yong-ho Choe Mun-dok Minister, Four-star General Deputy Minister, LTG Deputy Minister, LTG Deputy Minister, Col.-Gen. (promoted on 4/13/02) Chief of the Political Bureau of MPS Central Public Prosecutor’s Office Ri Kil Song Public Prosecutor General, Four-star General Central Court Kim Pyong Ryul President, Four-star General Kim Il Sung Military University 18 Choe In-duk Vice-Marshal, President (since 1982) Defense Industry Policy and Inspection Chon Pyong-ho Chairman Department under the Central Military Committee of the WPKCC Second Economic Committee under Kim Ch’ol Man Chairman, Army General NDC (retired) Atomic Energy Committee under the WPK CC n.a. General Bureau of Atomic Energy (under the Cabinet of Ministers) Ch’oe Hak-kun Li Je-seon Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Dr. Ri Hong Sop Director Center 19 Former Director-General Current Director-General The core members of the national security establishment still come from the so-called “1980 group,” a small group of the second generation of party and military leaders who were rapidly promoted upon Kim Il Sung’s instructions following the Sixth WPK Party Congress in 17 Vice-Marshal Paek Hak-nim, a longtime loyal supporter of the Kim family, had served as the Minister of People’s Security from 1982 to July 1, 2003. Curiously, although Paek Hak-nim had been absent from work since March 2003 due to his failing health, he was officially removed from his post on July 1, 2003, just two weeks after the ill-fated “car crash accident” on June 16, 2003, that lethally wounded Kim Jong Il’s right-hand aide, close personal friend, and one of the masterminds of the DPRK’s strategy of accelerated reconciliation with the South and normalization with Japan, the WPK CC Secretary in charge of international affairs, Kim Yong Sun. 18 The military education and training establishment is part and parcel of the national security establishment. It includes the faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the Kim Il Sung Military University, Kim Il Sung Political University, Kim Hyuk Security Academy, Kanggun Military (Army) Academy, Kim Jung-sook Naval Academy, Kim Ch’ul-chu Artillery Academy, Kim Chaek Air Force College, and the Mirim College (otherwise known as the Automated Warfare Academy). 19 Also, one should mention Choi Kil Man, Assistant Director of the Center; Li Yong-ho, Chief of Safeguards Section; Kim Haik Soon, Senior Center Researcher; and Pak Chang Su, Center Researcher; as well as Li Song Hwan, Chief Engineer of the 5 Mwe reactor; and Li Yong Song, Chief Engineer of the Radiochemical Laboratory. These are the people who provide critical input to the DPRK’s leadership regarding the technical aspects of the North Korean nuclear program. See Siegfried S. Hecker, testimony at the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Hearing on the “Visit to the Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center in North Korea,” January 21, 2004. IV-22
October 1980. Many of them (Yon Hyong Muk, Chon Byong-ho, 20 Kim Yong Nam, Ch’oe Thae-bok, 21 and Yun Gi Bok) were born in the North Hamgyong Province, attended the Mangyongdae Revolutionary School, graduated from the Kim Il Sung University, and studied at one of the Soviet universities early in life. They constituted Kim Jong Il’s key support group during the process of dynastic succession and power consolidation in the ensuing two decades. At the Sixth Party Congress, the WPK Central Committee Secretariat was reshuffled and stacked with Kim Jong Il’s loyalists, with many new faces added, including five new party secretaries – Yon Hyong Muk, Chon Byong-ho, Kim Yong Nam, Ch’oe Thae-bok, and Kim Jung-rin, who occupy the key positions in the North Korean government today. 22 The “1980 group” also included the following rising generals, who acted as Kim Jong Il’s trusted eyes and ears within the DPRK’s armed forces and security apparatus: Cho Myong Rok, Kim Il Ch’ol, 23 O Guk Ryol (later purged but rehabilitated), Kim Kang Hwan (passed away), Kim Du Nam, 24 Ri Bong Won (later purged and executed), and Ch’oe Sang Uk. No wonder that Kim Jong Il feels comfortable 20 Chon Byong-ho, born in 1926, is a WPK CC Secretary in charge of the Defense Industries. For a long time, he had served as Yon Hyong Muk’s deputy in various establishments. For instance, when Yon Hyong Muk was the Director of the Machine-Building Department in the WPK CC in the late 1970s, Chon Byong-ho was his Deputy Director. When Yon Hyong Muk moved to head the First Economic Department of the WPK Central Committee in the early 1980s, Chon Byong-ho followed him as his deputy Director again. When Yon Hyong Muk was elected a member of the WPK CC Political Bureau, he “pulled” Chon Byong-ho together with him, by recommending that Chon be elected an Alternate Member of the Political Bureau at the Sixth Plenum of the Sixth WPK CC in 1986. When Yon Hyong Muk was appointed the Premier of the Administrative Council, Chon Byong-ho was made one of his Deputy Premiers. Clearly, Yon Hyong Muk and Chon Byong-ho are close friends and their careers in the party and government are closely linked and interdependent. 21 Ch’oe Thae-bok, born in 1929, is Chairman of the SPA Presidium and Alternate Member of the WPK Political Bureau. Choe Thae-bok has long been regarded as a rising progressive star on the North Korean political horizon. He received his higher education in East Germany and the former USSR and can speak fluent German, good Russian, and a little bit of English. Choe Thae-bok is said to be a protégé of Kim Il Sung’s relative Yang Hyongsop, who had long been in charge of education in the DPRK. He emerged as one of the leading representatives of the “1980 group” at the Sixth WPK Party Congress. From 1980 to 1986, he served as the Chairman of the Education Committee. In December 1986, he followed his friends, Yon Hyong Muk and Chon Byong-ho, from the Administrative Council to the WPK Central Committee. As early as the 1980s, Ch’oe is said to come to recognize the DPRK’s economic problems and the ROK’s economic accomplishments. He is said to be very popular among the student youth and those North Koreans who studied abroad. Several thousands of the North Koreans who attended Eastern European universities in the 1980s (over 1000 in the USSR, 600 in the Czechoslovakia, 800 in the GDR, 400 in Poland, 600 in the PRC) believe that they were able to study abroad and learn about the outside world only because of his policy of expanding student exchanges under the auspices of his Committee on Education under the Administrative Council, despite the opposition from the then WPK CC hardliners. Choe Thae-bok is rumored to have been one of the driving forces behind the resumption of the student exchanges between the DPRK and the rest of the world in the early 2000s. Ch’oe Thae-bok is known as a very intelligent person who is able to admit his own mistakes and is open to self-criticism. 22 Among the four remaining party secretaries from the “1980 group,” three men passed away – Yun Gi-bok in 2003, Kim Hwan, and Hong Si Hak, whereas Hwang Jang Yop defected to the ROK in 1997. Hong Song Nam, WPK CC Secretary in charge of Economic Policy, is also considered to be a member of the 1980 group. 23 Kim Il Ch’ol, born in 1928, is the Minister of the People’s Armed Forces now. 24 Kim Du Nam, born in 1927, is an Army General and Member of the WPK CC Central Military Commission. Kim Du Nam is the brother of Kim Yong Nam, Chairman of the SPA Presidium. IV-23
Page 1 and 2:
INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE ANALYSES Nort
Page 3:
INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE ANALYSES IDA
Page 7:
CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & INTROD
Page 11 and 12:
To write accurately about North Kor
Page 13:
technocrats, provincial and county
Page 17:
PREFACE This paper will examine in
Page 21:
ABBREVIATIONS AGI CCSKA COMSEC DoD
Page 24 and 25:
information streams, and from him t
Page 26 and 27:
within the hands of a few individua
Page 28 and 29:
and whether or not he will embarras
Page 30 and 31:
to the lowest-levels of the KPA. As
Page 32 and 33:
strengthening of all armed forces,
Page 34 and 35:
esearch institutes and “think tan
Page 36 and 37:
The primary missions of the Reconna
Page 38 and 39:
communication that generally fall o
Page 40 and 41:
of the State Security Department or
Page 42 and 43:
maintaining strict control over the
Page 44 and 45:
agencies in the ROK and Japan began
Page 46 and 47:
The Guard and Security Commands, wh
Page 48 and 49:
eports that are funneled up through
Page 50 and 51:
Complicating the entire “Kim-cent
Page 52 and 53:
Within the military, this dynamic c
Page 54 and 55:
him that all significant orders and
Page 56 and 57:
Until the 1990s, the electronic med
Page 59:
II. THE NORTH KOREAN LEADERSHIP: SY
Page 62 and 63:
TABLES 1. Key Family Members in the
Page 64 and 65:
The factional struggles in North Ko
Page 67 and 68:
A. INTRODUCTION By definition, a to
Page 69 and 70:
C. THE TECHNOLOGY OF POWER A Party
Page 71 and 72:
document control bureaus in each mi
Page 73 and 74:
Originally implemented in 1994 and
Page 75 and 76:
Table II-1. Key Family Members in t
Page 77 and 78:
of associates who trace their relat
Page 79 and 80:
September 9, 2003, showed a change
Page 81 and 82:
Chart II-2: Secretariat 5. Kye Ung-
Page 83 and 84:
Members 1. Yi Ul-sul 4. Yi Yong-mu
Page 85 and 86:
Table II-6. Kim Chong-il’s Princi
Page 87 and 88:
Table II-7. Kim Chong-il’s Person
Page 89 and 90:
chance to unfold. In terms of syste
Page 91 and 92:
domestic policy arena, the split is
Page 93 and 94:
At the second echelon of power, Kim
Page 95 and 96:
D. FLOW OF INFORMATION George Kenna
Page 97 and 98:
about things that affect their care
Page 99 and 100:
(ID) and External Liaison (ELD) dep
Page 101 and 102:
For the rest of the North Korean le
Page 103 and 104:
the focus for not only a significan
Page 105 and 106:
At the 11 th Supreme People’s Ass
Page 107 and 108:
There is little doubt that one of t
Page 109 and 110:
decision-making process. Moreover,
Page 111:
III. THE WELL-INFORMED CADRE RALPH
Page 115 and 116:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY DEFINITIONS AND A
Page 117:
greater access to first-hand inform
Page 120 and 121:
The first question addressed by thi
Page 122 and 123:
But this lack of enthusiasm is prob
Page 124 and 125:
as the 1950s. 16 The security organ
Page 126 and 127:
Another way to look at divisions wi
Page 128 and 129:
Because the Kim regime governs acco
Page 130 and 131:
guess is that anyone who rises in t
Page 132 and 133:
But even though the media serve as
Page 134 and 135:
Newspapers The DPRK’s premier new
Page 136 and 137: motivation in its readers through m
Page 138 and 139: Page 2: • Kim Jong-suk’s develo
Page 140 and 141: This selection of news items presen
Page 142 and 143: in the wake of the U.S. propaganda
Page 144 and 145: the general audience in a two-step
Page 146 and 147: also countries surrounding the Kore
Page 148 and 149: that the war in Iraq was “a test
Page 150 and 151: and transform us internally through
Page 152 and 153: eceived with little thought and has
Page 154 and 155: outside world than the ordinary wor
Page 156 and 157: cognitive dissonance, particular ca
Page 159: IV. INSIDE NORTH KOREA’S BLACK BO
Page 163 and 164: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The North Korean
Page 165 and 166: A. BETTER, MERRIER, MORE HOPEFUL LI
Page 167 and 168: In contrast, the optimists believe
Page 169 and 170: to the throne. The State Council us
Page 171 and 172: 1976-1977, 4 and in 1986-1987 (see
Page 173 and 174: Bulgarian Trade Unions, after which
Page 175 and 176: Second, the principal objective of
Page 177 and 178: southward expansion, and, last but
Page 179 and 180: controlling some of North Korea’s
Page 181 and 182: also against the second-tier family
Page 183 and 184: Kim Sung-ae, who is Kim Il Sung’s
Page 185: “National Security Establishment
Page 189 and 190: severe draught in 1988 and the dram
Page 192 and 193: The advent of the “Songun Era”
Page 194 and 195: IV-30
Page 196 and 197: Bearing in mind Kim Jong Il’s rec
Page 198 and 199: Table IV-2. Composition of the Nort
Page 200 and 201: Cabinet Posts 10 th SPA 11 th SPA R
Page 202 and 203: Eastern Europe. That was reportedly
Page 204 and 205: Table IV-5. Leading Ideologues Insi
Page 206 and 207: Table IV-7. Regional Origins of Top
Page 208 and 209: “Foreign Wind” The “foreign w
Page 210 and 211: Table IV-10. Some of the Most Influ
Page 212 and 213: Table IV-11. The North-South “Han
Page 214 and 215: Song Sok Hwan Vice-Minister Cha Sun
Page 216 and 217: Table IV-13. Korean-American “Int
Page 218 and 219: content and government monitoring.
Page 220 and 221: Northern security, military, and pa
Page 223: APPENDIX B TONGIL STREET FREE MARKE
Page 227: V. REACHING INTO NORTH KOREA DAVID
Page 231 and 232: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY North Korea is no
Page 233: message right to Kim Jong-il, and m
Page 236 and 237:
isk escape from the hermit kingdom.
Page 238 and 239:
Society is divided into three broad
Page 240 and 241:
contradictions.” 17 This makes se
Page 242 and 243:
Internet is not specifically mentio
Page 244 and 245:
led to a training program for young
Page 246 and 247:
North Korea’s exports from legiti
Page 248 and 249:
een the biggest buyers of ivory ove
Page 250 and 251:
worker who travels throughout North
Page 252 and 253:
If we want to reach into North Kore
Page 254 and 255:
conversations with the correct mix
Page 256 and 257:
Although the future of cellular tel
Page 258 and 259:
There are a host of other things on
Page 261 and 262:
Each of the five papers in this col
Page 263 and 264:
promotions) and punishments (e.g.,
Page 265 and 266:
although presumably all calls are m
Page 267 and 268:
cultural rules.” Given the “str
Page 269:
Speaking of Kim, whom does he consu
Page 273:
Terms of Reference: North Korean Po
Page 277 and 278:
Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. is an intern
Page 279:
APPENDIX C ASIAN VIEWS OF NORTH KOR
Page 282 and 283:
In any case, the reforms provide a
Page 284 and 285:
View from Seoul The single most imp
Page 287:
Form Approved REPORT DOCUMENTATION
show all

North Korean Policy Elites - Defense Technical Information Center

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?