North Korean House of Cards

13th SPA and has been a frequent cohort on Kim Jong-un’s guidance
inspections of military installations in 2015. He was ranked 61st on
Jon Pyong-ho’s Funeral Committee list.
• Colonel General Pak Jong-chon is a Vice Chief of the KPA GSD and
Director of the Firepower Command Bureau (KPA Artillery). He
first appeared in an April 2012 photograph Kim Jong-un had with the
participants of the parade held to commemorate Kim Il-sung’s 100th
birthday. He has since accompanied Kim Jong-un on inspections of
artillery units. Given that Kim’s own military training is in artillery tactics,
it is likely that Pak has a special relationship with the Supreme Leader.
Pak was promoted to colonel general in May 2013, and he was ranked
56th on Jon Pyong-ho’s Funeral Committee list.
• Colonel General Ri Pyong-sam (72) has been an alternate member
of the Politburo since 2012. As the Political Director of the Korean
People’s Internal Security Forces (KPISF), Ri manages the political
indoctrination and Party life of members of the MPS and the KPISF.
He has been one of the most ubiquitous figures associated with Kim
Jong-un’s visits to internal security related units and facilities. He has
served four MPS ministers, giving him a unique perspective on various
patronage systems within the internal security apparatus. He was
promoted to lieutenant general in April 1992, and to colonel general
on April 13, 1999. Colonel General Ri was elected to membership on
the KWP Central Committee on September 28, 2010. On October 19,
2011, he was bestowed the title of Labor Hero by the SPA Presidium.
His line of communication to Kim Jong-un most likely goes through
Choe Pu-il, the Minister of People’s Security, although he may have
an informal channel, given the apparent relationship he has developed
with the Supreme Leader over the last two years. 720 That said, the
KPISF was closely tied to Jang Song-taek and, if tainted, could limit
Ri’s access. 721
• Colonel General Choe Kyong-song has been a member of the CMC
since 2010 and is a former commander of the 11th Corps, also known
720 Ken E. Gause, Coercion, Control, Surveillance, and Punishment: An Examination of the North
Korean Police State, op. cit.
721 “Kim Jong-un’s three years in power, and what lies ahead,” New Focus International, August 17,
2014. Jang expanded the KPISF within the MPS. His rationale for this move was to create a new political
surveillance system aimed at coup prevention. According to one source, his real motive was to establish
a check on the OGD-SSD alliance. The KPISF arrested Ryu Kyong, the SSD Deputy Director, who was
executed by firing squad.
Ken E. Gause
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