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North Korean Policy Elites - Defense Technical Information Center

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Eastern Europe. That was reportedly the only foreign trip that he made. But, Pak Pong-Ju’s<br />

connection to the “Prague group” and specifically to Yon Hyun Muk, who occupies the third<br />

place after Kim Jong Il and Cho Myong-Rok at the National <strong>Defense</strong> Commission, apparently<br />

survived over time and seems to have propelled him to the prime-minister’s seat in Pyongyang<br />

today. Pak Pong-Ju represents the 3rd generation of technocrats. He probably wields little real<br />

power inside Kim Jong Il’s court, in contrast to his very influential predecessors and mentors.<br />

In general, educational background seems to be a traditionally important factor in<br />

determining the individual inclinations, group loyalties, and policy predispositions of the <strong>North</strong><br />

<strong>Korean</strong> elites. Table 4 shows where some of the main players received their education.<br />

Table IV-4. Educational Background of the DPRK <strong>Elites</strong><br />

Mangyondae<br />

School<br />

Kim Il Sung<br />

University<br />

Soviet Moscow State<br />

University<br />

PRC Yunan Military<br />

Academy<br />

Ch’oe T’ae-bok Chae Hee-jong Chae Hee-jong Ch’oe Yong-gon<br />

(deceased)<br />

Cho Myong-rok Hong Song Nam Hwang Jang-yop (graduate of<br />

1953)<br />

Chon Mun-sop<br />

(deceased)<br />

Ch’oe Yong-rim Ch’oe Yong-rim Ch’oe Yong-rim Kim Ch’ol-man<br />

Chon Byong-ho Chon Byong-ho Chon Byong-ho Kim Gwang-hyop<br />

(deceased)<br />

Hyon Jun-guk Kang Hyon-Su Hyun Jun-guk Kye Ung-tae<br />

Kang Sung-san Kim Gi-nam Kim Ch’aek (deceased) Ri Jong-ok<br />

(deceased)<br />

Kim Du-nam Kim Gyong-hee Kim Du-nam (Soviet Military<br />

Academy, graduate of 1963)<br />

Paek Hak-rim<br />

IV-38

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