North Korean Policy Elites - Defense Technical Information Center

North Korean regime decided to weather the storm of perestroika and the ensuing collapse of the
communist regimes in the former socialist world and to meet the challenge of consolidating Kim
Jong Il’s power by hunkering down, “tightening the screws,” and returning to the Juch’e
orthodoxy. The ensuing policy paralysis lasted for almost a decade, until the late 1990s.
However, in 1998, the “1980 group” re-emerged as the driving force of North Korean
policy-making, after facing down the ideological challenges and winning over the power
struggles against the revolutionary “old guard,” ideological hardliners, and conservative,
paranoid state security forces. Kim Jong Il appointed Hong Song Nam to serve as the Premier of
the Cabinet of Ministers from September 1998 to September 2003. Kim Yong Nam was elected
the Chairman of the SPA Presidium, i.e., formal head of the DPRK state. General Cho Myong
Rok, O Gug-ryol’s protégé from the Korean Air Force, became the de-facto Number Two man in
the North Korean power hierarchy after the Dear Leader. As a result, the key survivors of the
“1980 group” – Yon Hyong Muk, Chon Byong-ho, Hong Song Nam, Kim Yong Nam, Ch’oe
Thae-bok, Cho Myong Rok, Kim Il Ch’ol, and O Guk Ryol – were able to re-ignite the late
modernization drive and became the chief architects of the North Korean reforms in the late
1990s – early 2000s.
In the past decade, in order to ensure the personal loyalty of the third-generation military
and state security leaders, the Dear Leader in his capacity of Supreme Commander of the KPA
completely revamped the national security establishment through twelve rounds of general
officers’ promotions (several dozens at a time), which usually took place on such occasions as
the Great Leader’s birthday on April 15, or the KPA founding anniversary on April 25, or the
anniversary of the Armistice Agreement on July 26, or the WPK founding anniversary on
October 10. For instance, on April 13, 1997, Supreme Commander of the KPA Kim Jong Il
issued an order to promote 123 general officers. 30 On April 13, 1998, Kim Jong Il issued order
No. 00102 to promote 22 general officers. 31 On April 13, 1999, Kim Jong Il issued order No.
00114 to promote 79 general officers. 32 On October 4, 2000, Kim Jong Il issued order no. 00133
to promote 44 general officers. 33 On April 13, 2001, Kim Jong Il issued an order to promote 19
30 According to the order dated April 13, 1997, Kim Il Chol, Jon Jae Son, Pak Ki So and Ri Jong San were promoted
to the KPA vice marshals, Jong Chang Ryol to Army General, eight others to colonel generals, 37 to lieutenant
generals, and 73 to Major Generals. See KCNA, Pyongyang, April 14, 1997.
31 According to the order dated April 13, Choe Song Su was promoted to colonel general, Jong Hong Gyong to
lieutenant general, and Ri Hui Song and 19 others to major generals. See KCNA, Pyongyang, April 14, 1998.
32 According to the order, Ri Pyong Sam was promoted to a colonel general, Kwon Ok Phil and Kim Son Ju to
lieutenant generals, and Kim Tong In and 75 others to major generals. See KCNA, Pyongyang, April 13, 1999.
33 According to the order, Ri Myong Su received the military title of Army General, Kim Kum Son and Ri Chan Bok
were promoted to Colonel General, six other commanding officers were promoted to Lieutenant Generals, and 35
others were made major generals. See KCNA, Pyongyang, October 8, 2000.
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