North Korean House of Cards

the GPB in the Kim Jong-il era, began to rise within the high command soon after
Kim Jong-un became heir apparent. He was appointed an alternate member of the
Politburo and member of the KWP CMC at the Third Party Conference in 2010.
On April 10, 2012, the eve of the Fourth Party Conference, he was appointed
Minister of the People’s Armed Forces, replacing Kim Yong-chun. In the days that
followed, at the Fourth Party Conference and SPA, Kim was made a full member of
the Politburo and a member of the NDC. His rank within the leadership rose from
24th to seventh. He was one of several officers with ties to the GPB to be appointed to
high office, leading to speculations that Kim Jong-un was setting up a counterweight
to Ri Yong-ho within the high command. 27 He was included in a growing clique
of younger-generation military officers and Party cadre tied to Jang Song-taek. 28 At
a ceremonial wreath-laying before the anti-Japanese revolutionary Cho Kwang-su’s
statue on October 30, 2012, North Korean media suddenly stopped referring to
Kim Jong-gak by his title of Minister of the MPAF, simply referring to him as
“comrade Kim Jong-gak.” Kim then disappeared from public view until December
17, 2012. He was mentioned as part of the delegation that accompanied Kim
Jong-un and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, to the renovated Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to
pay respects to Kim Jong-il on the first anniversary of his death. 29 While Kim lost
his seat on the NDC at the Seventh Session of the 12th SPA in April 2013, 30 he
continues to attend leadership functions and is rumored to currently hold the post
of President of Kim Il-sung Military University, a trusted position from which to
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educate and influence the upcoming generation of military leaders.
27 “NK Names Armed Forces Minister to Keep Army Chief in Check,” Dong-A Ilbo, April 12, 2012.
28 Author’s interviews in Seoul, November 2012. Kim Jong-gak’s ties to Jang Song-taek were
more as a cohort than a protégé. Both entered the Politburo as alternate members at the Third Party
Conference. Pyongyang-watchers did not tie Kim to Jang’s patronage system, but assessed that Jang
controlled Kim through his position as Vice Chairman of the NDC.
29 “Kim Jong Un Pays Respects to Kim Jong Il,” KCNA, December 17, 2012. At this event, it
was revealed that Kim Jong-gak had been reduced in rank to general. At a sports match on April 16, 2013,
Kim Jong-gak again wore the rank of Vice Marshal. See also “Appearance of former Minister of People’s
Armed Forces Kim Jong-gak in Nodong Sinmun Photo Draws Attention,” Yonhap News Agency, April
16, 2013.
30 KCNA, April 1, 2013. While not disclosed by North Korean media, it was assumed that Kim
Jong-gak also lost his Politburo position and possibly his CMC position. This assumption was based on
his fall in the leadership rankings.
31 “Appearance of former Minister of People’s Armed Forces Kim Jong-gak in Nodong Sinmun
Photo Draws Attention,” Yonhap News Agency, op. cit.
32 Given Kim Jong-gak’s low profile since his demotion as MPAF, it was surprising to see him
on the leadership rostrum during the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Party (October 2015). This
could be an indication that his career will be resurrected.
Committee for Human Rights in North Korea
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