North Korean Policy Elites - Defense Technical Information Center
North Korean Policy Elites - Defense Technical Information Center
North Korean Policy Elites - Defense Technical Information Center
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corruption. 38 Table II-8. Factional Leanings within the <strong>North</strong> <strong>Korean</strong> Elite 39<br />
the KWP’s State Security Department, which has increasingly been tainted with rumors of<br />
Name Personality <strong>Policy</strong> Line<br />
Moderates<br />
Kim Chong-il Chairman, NDC, Politburo, Secretariat Moderate<br />
Pak Song-chol Politburo Moderate<br />
Han Song-yong Politburo Moderate<br />
Yon Hyung-muk Politburo, NDC Moderate (reform tendencies)<br />
Yi Ha-il Director, KWP Military Affairs Department Moderate (reform tendencies)<br />
Conservatives<br />
Kim Yong-chu Politburo Conservative<br />
Kim Yong-nam Politburo Conservative<br />
Kye Ung-tae Politburo, Secretariat Conservative<br />
Chon Pyong-ho Politburo Conservative<br />
Kim Ki-nam Secretariat Conservative<br />
Kim Kuk-tae Secretariat Conservative<br />
O Kuk-ryul Director, KWP Operations Department Conservative<br />
Cho Myong-nok Director, General Political Bureau Conservative (but open to<br />
limited reform)<br />
Kim Il-chol Minister of People’s Armed Forces Conservative<br />
Kim Yong-chun Chief of General Staff Conservative (but open to<br />
limited reform)<br />
Yi Ul-sol Commander, Guard Command Conservative<br />
Kim Song-ae<br />
Central Committee (Kim Il-sung’s second Conservative<br />
wife)<br />
Open<br />
Yang Hyong-sop Politburo Open<br />
Kim Chung-nin Secretariat Open<br />
Kim Pok-sin Chancellor, Cabinet Open<br />
Kim Kyung-hui Director, KWP Light Industry Department Open<br />
Kim Tu-nam Member, Kim Chong-il Personal Secretariat Open<br />
38 Kim Chong-il lacks sole control over the SSD, which has reporting channels elsewhere within the leadership,<br />
namely to Chang Song-taek (in the OGD) and the KWP Secretary for Security Affairs, Kye Ung-tae. It is likely<br />
that if Kim Chong-il wants to keep a watch on people within his own retinue, he will use the Security Command.<br />
See author’s paper The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Korean</strong> Leadership: Evolving Regime Dynamics in the Kim Chong-il Era, op. cit.<br />
39 The policy lines described in this table represent a consensus view based on numerous discussions with<br />
Pyongyang watchers and <strong>North</strong> <strong>Korean</strong> defectors. It is important to point out that in the <strong>North</strong> <strong>Korean</strong> political<br />
system, terms such as “moderate” and “conservative” do not equate with similar terms in western political<br />
discourse. Moderates are those that take a more pragmatic approach to policies, while conservatives take a view<br />
that policies should rigidly adhere to ideological principles. Those who are “open” do not appear to fit easily in<br />
the other two categories and have expressed views that transcend these factional boundaries.<br />
II-26