North Korean House of Cards

Since then, he has been a constant presence around the Supreme Leader. 194
Additionally, in November, he led a delegation to Russia to meet with President
Vladimir Putin.
Kim Kyong-hui and Choe Ryong-hae’s changing fortunes appear to indicate
the end of the regent structure. As Kim Jong-un moves into his final phase of power
consolidation, he has begun to transform the leadership model in order to maximize
his direct control of the policy- and decision-making process. 195 Instead of regents,
he is now surrounded by senior advisors, who have varying degrees of influence, but
no ability to dictate policy. 196 While he continues to oversee formal leadership
meetings, it is highly likely that he will adopt elements of his father’s “hub-and-spoke”
leadership style in interacting with the wider leadership. As a consequence, Kim
Jong-un’s Personal Secretariat will probably grow in size in order to accommodate the
more informal aspects of his leadership style.
when Kim Jong-un visited a scientists’ rest home, and Hwang was listed before Choe. A few days
earlier at another guidance inspection, Choe’s name was listed before Kim Ki-nam, KWP Secretary for
Propaganda and Agitation. This led to speculation by some Pyongyang-watchers that Choe may hold
an extremely important post in the Party, possibly KWP Secretary for Organization and Guidance.
However, by March 2015, Hwang Pyong-so had again eclipsed Choe Ryong-hae. The North Korean
media cited Hwang ahead of Choe when it reported on leader Kim Jong-un’s visit to the Victorious
War Museum in Pyongyang. See “Is Kim Jong Un Playing Musical Chairs At The Top?” The Chosun Ilbo,
March 2, 2015. Pyongyang radio on March 8, 2015 reported that “Comrade Choe Ryong-hae, member
the WPK CC Political Bureau,” gave a report at the “central report meeting” held on the same day to
mark the 105th anniversary of International Women’s Day. Just a month before, Choe had been referred
to as a member of the Politburo Presidium.
194 “Choe Ryong-hae to Second-in-Command with the Help of his Wife Who is Close to Ri
Sol-ju - RFA,” The Chosun Ilbo, November 6, 2014. According to rumors inside Pyongyang, Choe
Ryong-hae’s return to the center of power is due, to some extent, to his wife, Kang Kyong-sil. She is
reportedly close friends with Kim Jong-un’s wife, Ri Sol-ju. Kang’s relationship with the ruling family
goes back to Kim’s mother, Ko Yong-hui. Kang was a member of the Pibada Opera Troupe, which
frequently interacted with the Mansudae Art Studio, to which Ko belonged. Kang’s two brothers are
executives of a trading firm, which suggests that the family is held in high regard.
195 Ken E. Gause, North Korean Leadership Dynamics and Decision-making under Kim Jong-un: A
Second Year Assessment (Alexandria, VA: CNA Occasional Publication 2014-U-006988, March 2014).
196 North Korean media treatment of Hwang Pyong-so and Choe Ryong-hae in the summer and
fall of 2014 suggests that Kim Jong-un may be creating a rivalry to facilitate his own power consolidation.
Ken E. Gause
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