North Korean House of Cards

has long played an intermediary role and a stabilizing force within the
senior leadership. He most likely has a direct channel to Kim Jong-un.
He was ranked second on Jon Pyong-ho’s Funeral Committee list.
C. KEY INDIVIDUALS IN THE THIRD ECHELON
OF THE LEADERSHIP
The third echelon is composed of bureaucrats, military officers, and
technocrats who are responsible for executing operations—many of whom hold
positions on senior leadership bodies. They may have decision-making authority
over the operations of their institutions, but these decisions are guided by higher-level
decisions. They have limited influence or contact with Kim Jong-un other
than during guidance inspections and field exercises. He may reach out to them for
subject matter expertise. This is the level at which many of the fourth-generation
leaders (who are currently in their 30s and 40s) will appear in the next few years.
But for now, the more notable individuals in this echelon include those listed below.
1. Party
• Kwak Pom-gi (76) has been an alternate member of the Politburo
since 2012, KWP Secretary for Finance since 2012, and Director of
the KWP Finance and Planning Department (FPD) since 2012. He
is a Kim Il-sung University-educated planning economist and one
of the cadre of technocrats who came into the leadership ranks in
2012 and 2013 along with Pak Pong-ju, Ro Tu-chol, and KWP LID
Director Paek Kye-ryong. Kwak’s career began in the late 1960s, and
he moved into the Cabinet as Vice Minister of Machine-Building
Industry. But it was his appointment as Chief Secretary of the South
Hamgyong Province in 2010 that brought him to prominence. He
was tied to the regime campaign celebrating “the flames of Hamnam”
and regularly accompanied Kim Jong-il on guidance tours designed to
highlight progress made in heavy industry. 705 Kwak Pom-gi’s elevation
to the senior ranks of the leadership was tied to Kim Kyong-hui
and Jang Song-taek with the expectation that he could bring some
pragmatism to the decision-making process on the economy. His line
705 Michael Madden, “Biography of Kwak Pom-gi,” North Korea Leadership Watch, September
25, 2012.
Ken E. Gause
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