North Korean House of Cards

Name Position(s) Comments
Kim Songnam
(62)
• Alternate
Member of the
KWP Central
Committee
Kim Song-nam is a renowned “China
hand” who started working in the KWP
International Affairs Department in the
1980s. He is one of Kim Jong-un’s primary
• Vice Director of
the KWP International
Affairs
Department
advisors on China affairs and allegedly has
a direct communications channel with the
Supreme Leader. 209
Kim Su-gil
(76)
Jon Il-chun
(74)
• Chief Secretary
of the Pyongyang
Municipal
Party Committee
(since 2014)
• Vice Director of
the KWP FAD
• Managing
Director of the
State Development
Bank
Kim Su-gil replaced Mun Kyong-tok, who
was reportedly removed because of his
close ties to Jang Song-taek and the former
KWP Administrative Department. It is
highly likely that he has also replaced
Mun as the KWP Secretary for Pyongyang
Affairs. He is rumored to be affiliated with
the GPB’s Organization Department. He
was listed 72nd on Jon Pyong-ho’s Funeral
Committee list.
As a former head of Office 39, Chon’s ties
to hard currency operations would suggest
that he has a direct channel of communication
with Kim Jong-un, as well as Kim
Yo-jong and Kim Sol-song, who have responsibilities
for the Kim family funds. His
leadership ranking rose from 41st on Kim
Kuk-tae’s Funeral Committee list to 35th
on Jon Pyong-ho’s Funeral Committee list.
209 It should be noted that Kim Song-nam last appeared in the North Korean media in November
2014 as part of a North Korean delegation that saw Choe Ryong-hae off at the airport on a mission to Russia.
Committee for Human Rights in North Korea
80