North Korean House of Cards

the regime. Throughout 2013, Choe accompanied Kim Jong-un on eighty percent
of his guidance inspections. In January 2014, his status became uncertain.
The first indication that Choe’s status might be falling occurred in January
when he missed seven consecutive military-related public appearances with Kim
Jong-un. 186 In February 2014, he disappeared for nearly a month, although he
continued to appear in documentaries. He reappeared on March 7, 2014 as the first
among nine officials accompanying Kim Jong-un on a military inspection. 187 The
following month came with mixed messages for Choe. At the 13th SPA, he was
promoted to Vice Chairman of the NDC, filling the vacancy left by Jang Song-taek.
However, following a meeting of the KWP CMC at the end of the month, North
Korean media announced that Choe had been replaced as Director of the GPB by
Hwang Pyong-so, a First Vice Director of the KWP OGD. 188 Choe retained his
post as Party Secretary, but his portfolio is unclear. 189 While most of the Pyongyangwatching
community speculates that Choe Ryong-hae has lost power, 190 some
Chinese sources believe that his power and responsibilities have shifted from the
military to the Party apparatus. 191 He was ranked tenth on Jon Pyong-ho’s Funeral
Committee list. 192
As 2014 progressed, Choe’s status appeared to stabilize. He assumed the
Chairmanship of the SPCSGC, a position once held by Jang Song-taek. Although
Hwang Pyong-so replaced Choe as Vice Chairman of the NDC at the second
meeting of the SPA in September, Choe’s status appeared fully restored by October,
when he surpassed Hwang in coverage of Kim Jong-un’s guidance inspections. 193
186 Since becoming Director of the GPB in 2012, Choe Ryong-hae had never missed more than
four military appearances.
187 Documentaries from January showed Choe Ryong-hae walking with a limp, suggesting the
possibility that his disappearance was due to health reasons.
188 Michael Madden, “The Fall of Choe Ryong Hae,” 38 North, May 2, 2014. This CMC meeting
came only six weeks after another meeting of the body—an unusual occurrence—suggesting that it was
convened to handle a special matter. Some Pyongyang-watchers have speculated that Choe was removed as
head of the GPB because he had failed to boost the military’s loyalty to Kim Jong-un.
189 Park Hyeong-Jung, “The Demotion of Choe Ryong Hae: Background and Implication,”
Korea Institute for National Unification: Online Series 14, No. 5 (May 21, 2014). Dr. Park Hyeong-Jung
speculates that Choe no longer holds the position for military affairs to which he was appointed at the
Third Party Conference in 2010. He is now the KWP Secretary for Workers’ Organizations.
190 Michael Madden, “The Fall of Choe Ryong Hae,” op. cit. http://38north.org/2014/05/
mmadden050214/.
191 Discussion with a Chinese North Korea-watcher, August 2014.
192 “DPRK Party Organ Carries Full List of State Funeral Committee Members for Late Jon
Pyong-ho,” Nodong Sinmun, op. cit.
193 “Choe Ryong Hae Called Ahead Of Hwang Pyong So: NK’s Power Ranking Shift?” Dong-A
Ilbo, October 30, 2014. In an article on the completion ceremony of the May First Stadium on October
29, 2014, North Korean media listed Choe Ryong-hae before Hwang Pyong-so. The last time state
media listed both Choe and Hwang as Kim Jong-un’s accompanying officials was on October 22, 2014,
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