North Korean House of Cards

administrative. Kim Jong-il, a more reclusive leader, relied much more on his
personal apparatus, while marginalizing many of the formal leadership bodies. The
decision-making model under Kim Jong-un has evolved. It began as something
that very much mimicked the Kim Il-sung model with a powerful regent structure
attached for guidance and direction. Since the purge of Jang Song-taek, it appears
that Kim Jong-un may begin to adopt a model closer to his father’s, which was
firmly rooted in informal networks and personal lines of communications. As such,
an understanding of the Kim Jong-il model will probably provide insights into the
future of Kim Jong-un’s decision-making process.
As noted above, the process most likely began in meetings with close
aides or during the field guidance inspections. It was during these times that Kim
Jong-il set the broad parameters for policy, both domestic and foreign. Once the
broad outlines were set, policymaking was usually initiated by a direct request
from Kim in the form of an instruction. Sometimes this instruction went to a
particular department or even a particular individual. 374 On other occasions, the
instruction was distributed to several relevant departments. Typically, more than
one department was involved, and, in these cases, the instruction was managed
through issue-related task forces that were organized to reach consensus. 375 In
all circumstances, the KWP OGD made a note of Kim’s request so it could be
tracked through the policymaking process.
After sufficient consultation by relevant departments, a counselor or a task
force of counselors would draft policy that addressed Kim Jong-il’s instruction. 376 It
was then sent to Kim’s Personal Secretariat either as a document report (mun-geon
bo-go) or a fax report (mo-sa bo-go). Reports submitted in document form included
items less urgent, but still important for policy, such as proposals, direction of
374 For example, Kim Jong-il’s instructions given to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were mostly
in the form of “remarks addressed to the First Vice Foreign Minister.” In the past, Kang Sok-ju occupied
this post. Now Kang is a Vice Premier, and it is unclear whether the current Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong
or First Vice Foreign Minister, Kim Kye-gwan, plays this role.
375 Author’s interviews in Seoul, April 2013. Issue-related task forces were set up for a range of
policy areas, such as inter-Korean relations and the economy.
376 Author’s discussion with senior North Korean defectors residing in Seoul, April 2009. Every
ministry and department throughout the government and Party has counselors. Under Kim Jong-il, these
were usually people with close ties to Kim or his Personal Secretariat who had a clear understanding of his
policy intentions. It was their job to draft correspondence between their ministry or department and the
Kim apparatus.
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