North Korean House of Cards

Table 1: Key Advisors to Kim Jong-un 206
Name Position(s) Comments
Kim Family
Kim Yojong
(28)
• Vice Director
of a KWP
Department
(since 2014)
Kim Yo-jong is Kim Jong-un’s younger
sister. She is rumored to be working in
the KWP OGD or PAD and her brother’s
Personal Secretariat. 206 She was identified
as a vice director of a KWP department in
2014. Since Kim Ki-nam’s apparent retirement
in place in 2015, some speculate that
she is now directing the operations of the
PAD. During Kim Ki-nam’s withdraw from
the public spotlight in the spring of 2015,
some speculated that she had taken over the
day-to-day operations of the Propaganda
and Agitation Department. 207
206 For some biographies, there is a question mark (?) in the “Position(s)” column. This designates
that this person may no longer occupy this position or is only rumored to occupy the position. The
leadership around Kim Jong-un is shifting. Appointments to senior Party bodies have not been fully
reported on by the North Korean media since 2012. Therefore, the author has used the question mark to
reflect this lack of clarity.
207 “Kim Jong Un Gives Guidance at April 26 Cartoon Film Studio,” KCNA, November 26,
2014. Kim Yo-jong was identified for the first time as a Vice Department Director of the KWP Central
Committee in November 2014, as part of her brother’s inspection of the April 26 Cartoon Film Studio.
Based on the fact that the key cohorts accompanying Kim, Kim Ki-man and Ri Jae-il, are from the KWP
PAD, the South Korean government speculated that Kim Yo-jong was also with this Central Committee
department. However, earlier speculation tied her to the KWP OGD. She is the youngest vice director
of the KWP in the history of North Korea. Her father, Kim Jong-il, became the Vice Director of the
PAD in 1970 when he was 28. Her once-powerful aunt Kim Kyong-hui became the Vice Director of the
International Department when she was 30.
208 “NK Leader’s Sister Seen as Playing Key Role in Propaganda Work,” Yonhap News Agency,
June 3, 2015. See also Lee Sang-Yong. “Kim Yo Jong in de facto power of PAD,” Daily NK, July 20, 2015.
Information from July 2015 suggests that in fact Kim Ki-nam and Kim Yo-jong both continue to have
roles in the PAD. Kim Yo-jong has been put in charge of idolization projects for the leadership, while
Kim Ki-nam supports her in his role as Director of the KWP PAD, albeit a director who is essentially
retired in place. As Vice Director of the PAD, Kim Yo-jong is personally responsible for leading idolization
projects related to her brother.
Ken E. Gause
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