North Korean House of Cards

More documents

Recommendations

Info

his right under the dictates of the Suryong system? 281 Or as some would argue, is he being coerced by competing forces within the regime, such as the military? What follows is an analysis of how decision-making appears to work in the Kim Jong-un era. It examines what can be seen on the outside and speculates, based on interviews of numerous defectors and experienced Pyongyang-watchers, how the system has evolved since Kim Jong-il’s death. The shifting role of the Control Tower acts as a breaking point between the way the system operated before and after the purge of Jang Song-taek. a. Glimpses into the Process Kim Jong-il’s decision-making process took decades to develop and was dependent on wide-ranging relationships across the regime. It was unlikely that Kim Jong-un could have easily stepped into his father’s leadership model since it was so dependent on Kim Jong-il’s personality and required profound inside knowledge of regime politics, policies, and processes. He was only designated his father’s successor in 2009. In other words, he had a handful of years to learn on the job, whereas Kim Jong-il had nearly thirty years between the time he entered the Party apparatus in the early 1960s and Kim Il-sung’s death in 1994. Yet, the regime went to great lengths during Kim Jong-un’s first years in power to show him as the Supreme Leader and ultimate decision maker. In January 2012, North Korean media unveiled photographs of Kim Jong-un’s signature and noted that he would continue his father’s practice of directly reviewing and signing off on policy recommendations and other internal reports. 282 As the year came to a close, North Korean television broadcasted a documentary that showed Kim Jong-un chairing a Politburo meeting in which he conveyed the news of Kim Jong-il’s death. 283 281 Author’s interviews in Seoul, April 2013. The author was privy to an extraordinary debate at the Korea Institute for National Unification that laid out the two leading theories on North Korean decision-making. 282 Alex Melton and Jaesung Ryu, “Wanted: Handwriting Analyst,” North Korea: Witness to Transformation, Peterson Institute for International Economics, February 5, 2012; “Kim Jong-un’s Handwriting Shows Chip Off the Old Block,” The Chosun Ilbo, January 4, 2012. Photographs of Kim Jong-un’s signature (attached to loyalty pledges from various institutions throughout the regime) appeared for the first time in Nodong Sinmun on December 2, 2011. The regime probably decided to release the photographs in order to show that Kim Jong-un was in control and was the ultimate decision-maker, even if a collective group of advisors had significant input into the policy deliberation process. This was not the first instance of North Korean media revealing the Supreme Leader’s signature. There were at least 100 cases dating back to 1981, when state media showed Kim Jong-il’s signature on internal reports. 283 Michael Madden, “Film Released to Mark 1 Year Anniversary of KJI’s Death,” North Korea Leadership Watch, December 13, 2012. The Politburo scenes are in the fourth part of the documentary Ken E. Gause 131
Image 11: Kim Jong-il’s signature is on the left and Kim Jong-un’s is on the right. (Source: KCNA, Nodong Sinmun) Image 12: This is reportedly a Politburo meeting from December 2011 when Kim Jong-un announced his father’s death. (Source: KCTV/KCNA screen grab as appeared on North Korea Leadership Watch) film, We Will Hold the Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il in High Esteem Down through Generations. The ninety-minute fourth installment of the official documentary film series chronicled the death and funerary rites of Kim Jong-il during December 2011. Entitled The Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il Will Live Forever, it was released to mark the one-year anniversary of Kim Jong-il’s death on December 17, 2011. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea 132
Page 1 and 2:
North Korean House of Cards Leaders
Page 3 and 4:
Copyright © 2015 Committee for Hum
Page 5 and 6:
Jack David Senior Fellow, Hudson In
Page 7 and 8:
3. The Regent Structure............
Page 9 and 10:
d. Ministry of People’s Security.
Page 11 and 12:
II. PREFACE After his seminal 2012
Page 13 and 14:
the reader that many are purged bec
Page 15 and 16:
IV. ABOUT THIS STUDY There are nume
Page 17 and 18:
VI. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Merriam-Webst
Page 19 and 20:
ultimate decision maker and sole so
Page 21 and 22:
humanity; in order to understand cr
Page 23 and 24:
32. NIS: South Korean National Inte
Page 25 and 26:
egent structure would begin to chan
Page 27 and 28:
However, there is very little evide
Page 29 and 30:
IX. SECTION ONE: NORTH KOREAN LEADE
Page 31 and 32:
All Party members, military men, an
Page 33 and 34:
Dressed in black, gloveless, and ba
Page 35 and 36:
choreography of the transfer of pow
Page 37 and 38:
suffered a stroke. 18, 19 A month l
Page 39 and 40:
the GPB in the Kim Jong-il era, beg
Page 41 and 42:
2009 from Chief of the GSD to Comma
Page 43 and 44:
posting, Ri had been the Fifth Corp
Page 45 and 46:
Days after Jang Jong-nam was identi
Page 47 and 48:
4. Civil-Military Relations by Mid-
Page 49 and 50:
above, especially the purge of Ri Y
Page 51 and 52:
leaders include Choe Ryong-hae, Kim
Page 53 and 54:
of the military. More than that of
Page 55 and 56:
B. CHAPTER TWO: THE PURGE OF JANG S
Page 57 and 58:
afforded Jang the opportunity to me
Page 59 and 60:
and merged into the RGB as Bureaus
Page 61 and 62:
to as the éminence grise, who was
Page 63 and 64:
a. Kim Jong-il’s Will In 2012, de
Page 65 and 66:
A second rumor suggests that Jang
Page 67 and 68:
KWP OGD, and the SSD, to construct
Page 69 and 70:
ut his pleas went unanswered. At th
Page 71 and 72:
eferred to him as an “unparallele
Page 73 and 74:
out of the picture, 163 the connect
Page 75 and 76:
ankings in October 2013 and then fe
Page 77 and 78:
Jong-il, such as Ri Su-yong (Ri Cho
Page 79 and 80:
ones, lowering the average age of t
Page 81 and 82:
the regime. Throughout 2013, Choe a
Page 83 and 84:
4. Kim Jong-un and the Wider Leader
Page 85 and 86:
Armed Forces, 202 had been executed
Page 87 and 88:
Name Position(s) Comments Kim Solso
Page 89 and 90: Name Position(s) Comments Kim Songn
Page 91 and 92: Name Position(s) Comments Colonel G
Page 93 and 94: Table 2: Second Echelon of Power Na
Page 95 and 96: Name Position(s) Comments Miltary/
Page 97 and 98: Name Position(s) Comments General K
Page 99 and 100: Table 3: Third Echelon of Power Nam
Page 101 and 102: Name Position(s) Comments Ju Kyucha
Page 103 and 104: Name Position(s) Comments General P
Page 105 and 106: Name Position(s) Comments Colonel G
Page 107 and 108: Name Position(s) Comments Ro Tu-cho
Page 109 and 110: Table 4: Fourth Echelon of Power Na
Page 111 and 112: Name Position Comments Lieutenant G
Page 113 and 114: Name Position Comments Lieutenant G
Page 115 and 116: Name Position Comments Hong Yongchi
Page 117 and 118: Name Position Comments Jo Thae-san
Page 119 and 120: Name Position Comments Government R
Page 121 and 122: Name Position Comments Kim Choljin
Page 123 and 124: Name Relation Comments Ri Il-hyok K
Page 125 and 126: Name Relation Comments Cha Cholma S
Page 127 and 128: While there is debate within the co
Page 129 and 130: • The Royal Economy. This chapter
Page 131 and 132: within the leadership in the mid-19
Page 133 and 134: ase of power. 261 Decision-making o
Page 135 and 136: The Tenth SPA convened in Pyongyang
Page 137 and 138: system of socialism.” 273 For man
Page 139: Leader. However, this will not last
Page 143 and 144: Image 13: National Security meeting
Page 145 and 146: Image 15: A March 13, 2013 military
Page 147 and 148: . Kim Jong-un’s Role as Decision
Page 149 and 150: The Friday meetings focus on milita
Page 151 and 152: and its Presidium organize and dire
Page 153 and 154: KWP Charter, the CMC “discusses a
Page 155 and 156: worldview. 312 He would hone these
Page 157 and 158: constraints established by his fath
Page 159 and 160: Fully assuming the role of Supreme
Page 161 and 162: As the guidance in Kim Jong-il’s
Page 163 and 164: 1. The Personal Secretariat under K
Page 165 and 166: of Kim’s death in 2011, it is rum
Page 167 and 168: Kim Jong-il Secretariat was not an
Page 169 and 170: and manner of operation, however, a
Page 171 and 172: a. Personal Secretariat Personnel a
Page 173 and 174: In 2013, South Korean media reports
Page 175 and 176: Supreme Command apparatus to the GS
Page 177 and 178: . Secretarial Office of the Central
Page 179 and 180: from the field commands, as well as
Page 181 and 182: administrative. Kim Jong-il, a more
Page 183 and 184: overseeing the implementation of th
Page 185 and 186: C. CHAPTER SIX: THE ROYAL ECONOMY
Page 187 and 188: for Kim Il-sung’s own consolidati
Page 189 and 190: Following the creation of Office 39
Page 191 and 192:
The Early European Connection In th
Page 193 and 194:
numerous subordinate trade and fore
Page 195 and 196:
According to a former diplomat who
Page 197 and 198:
National Intelligence Service (NIS)
Page 199 and 200:
gifts through their place of employ
Page 201 and 202:
ack to Office 39 and into the Royal
Page 203 and 204:
from Office 38 to Office 99 in 2005
Page 205 and 206:
General Trading Corporation, then a
Page 207 and 208:
Hong Kong, and Singapore. These bus
Page 209 and 210:
Kim Jong-il’s private secretary a
Page 211 and 212:
Jang’s Channel to China The Korea
Page 213 and 214:
Chart 10: Jang’s Channel into the
Page 215 and 216:
the Royal Economy. In the summer of
Page 217 and 218:
projects ends up in the Royal Econo
Page 219 and 220:
leadership dynamics inside North Ko
Page 221 and 222:
• The KWP Administrative Departme
Page 223 and 224:
• Tourism represents a growing so
Page 225 and 226:
Chart 12: Jang’s Tapping into Mil
Page 227 and 228:
In addition to these reforms, Kim J
Page 229 and 230:
Despite the regime’s efforts to s
Page 231 and 232:
Night of the Long Knives. Saddam Hu
Page 233 and 234:
In the months following the Party c
Page 235 and 236:
According to South Korean sources,
Page 237 and 238:
In April 2012, the regime made a nu
Page 239 and 240:
National Security Meeting, January
Page 241 and 242:
focus of the meeting was tied to lo
Page 243 and 244:
of the GC escorted Jang from the ha
Page 245 and 246:
as it related to the KWP Administra
Page 247 and 248:
it became more difficult for trader
Page 249 and 250:
Name Post Relationship to the OGD M
Page 251 and 252:
Star.” 545 His elevation in North
Page 253 and 254:
the command and control structure o
Page 255 and 256:
the connections between the larger
Page 257 and 258:
i. Structure The headquarters of th
Page 259 and 260:
Chart 18: Organizational Chart of t
Page 261 and 262:
Pyongyang Anti-Aircraft Artillery C
Page 263 and 264:
Palace of the Sun, which holds the
Page 265 and 266:
ii. Cordon of Security: Relationshi
Page 267 and 268:
iii. Role in the Regime It is assum
Page 269 and 270:
assume the role of political office
Page 271 and 272:
• The Eighth Bureau (Border Secur
Page 273 and 274:
Page 275 and 276:
d. Ministry of People’s Security
Page 277 and 278:
chain of command and is responsible
Page 279 and 280:
olstering internal security. Provin
Page 281 and 282:
Page 283 and 284:
associate, these fortunes began to
Page 285 and 286:
offices: the Cadre Department, the
Page 287 and 288:
Jo Kyong-chol seated at the far lef
Page 289 and 290:
XI. CONCLUSION To commemorate the 1
Page 291 and 292:
Others see a ruthless regime that i
Page 293 and 294:
it remains to be seen whether this
Page 295 and 296:
continues to create the image of a
Page 297 and 298:
had been executed by anti-aircraft
Page 299 and 300:
• General Ri Yong-gil (60) has be
Page 301 and 302:
2. Party • Kang Sok-ju (76) has b
Page 303 and 304:
• Kim Song-nam (62) is an alterna
Page 305 and 306:
domestic and social issues .668 He
Page 307 and 308:
may occasionally be able to reach o
Page 309 and 310:
Committee list.At the Third Session
Page 311 and 312:
1970s, 692 but his career was resur
Page 313 and 314:
Vice Chairman of the NDC, O Kuk-ryo
Page 315 and 316:
of communication to Kim Jong-un lik
Page 317 and 318:
• Ju Kyu-chang (87) has been an a
Page 319 and 320:
General Pak as his successor withou
Page 321 and 322:
as the “Storm Corps.” He first
Page 323 and 324:
present for Kim Jong-un’s guidanc
Page 325 and 326:
senior leadership are evident in hi
Page 327 and 328:
on debt settlement issues with Russ
Page 329 and 330:
Date Visit Gift (as described in No
Page 331 and 332:
Date Visit Gift (as described in No
Page 333 and 334:
XIV. APPENDIX C: NORTH KOREAN MILIT
Page 335 and 336:
Insignia Title/Name 소좌 (So-jwa)
Page 337 and 338:
B. KOREAN PEOPLE’S ARMY NAVAL FOR
Page 339 and 340:
Insignia Title/Name 상위 (Sang-wi
Page 341 and 342:
C. KOREAN PEOPLE’S ARMY AIR FORCE
Page 343 and 344:
Insignia Title/Name 상위 (Sang-wi
Page 345 and 346:
XV. BIBLIOGRAPHY A. Books and Journ
Page 347 and 348:
54. Cathcart, Adam. “Thrice-Curse
Page 349 and 350:
117. “Is Kim Jong Un Playing Musi
Page 351 and 352:
191. Lee, Gyo-Gwan. “Kim Jong-il
Page 353 and 354:
264. “North Korea’s Kim Jong-un
Page 356:
Committee for Human Rights in North
show all

North Korean House of Cards

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?