North Korean House of Cards

Name Position(s) Comments
Colonel
General Jo
Kyong-chol
• Commander
of the Military
Security Command
(MSC)
As head of the MSC, he runs an organization
that plays an important role in
guaranteeing internal security. Because of
its sensitive mission, the commander of
the MSC reportedly has a direct line of
communication to the Supreme Leader.
Jo Kyong-chol was ranked 47th on Jon
Pyong-ho’s Funeral Committee list. He
was also promoted to colonel general in
February 2015.
Colonel
General Yun
Jong-rin (77)
Government
Pak Pong-ju
(76)
Ri Su-yong
(Ri Chol)
(75)
• Member of the
CMC (since
2010)
• Director of the
Guard Command
(GC)
• Member of the
Politburo (since
2013)
• Premier (since
2013)
• Minister of
Foreign Affairs
(since 2014)
As Director of the Guard Command (GC),
he is responsible for ensuring Kim Jong-un’s
protection. Therefore, he not only works
with Kim’s Personal Secretariat but also
most likely has a direct line of communication
to Kim that bypasses any gatekeepers.
Responsible for managing the economic
affairs of the “people’s economy.” Pak most
likely interacts directly with Kim Jong-un.
He was listed second and third, respectively,
on Kim Kuk-tae’s and Jon Pyong-ho’s
Funeral Committee lists.
Normally a position of little influence, the
foreign affairs position has likely taken
on greater importance under Ri Su-yong,
who has had close ties to the Kim family
for decades. He managed Kim Jong-il’s
finances in Europe and oversaw the education
of Kim Jong-chol, Kim Jong-un, and
Kim Yo-jong when they attended school in
Bern, Switzerland. Ri has also been tied to
Kim Jong-un’s Personal Secretariat and the
secret family slush fund (worth billions)
that is used to ensure the regime’s support
among the wider leadership.
Committee for Human Rights in North Korea
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