North Korean House of Cards

Name Position(s) Comments
Major
General Ma
Won-chun
(59)
• Director of
the National
Defense Commission
Design
Department
Began to appear on Kim Jong-un’s
guidance inspections in May 2012 as a
KWP vice director. Appointed as head of
NDC Design Department in May 2014.
Fell out of favor in late 2014 following
Kim Jong-un’s unfavorable inspection
of the renovation of Pyongyang Airport.
Allegedly purged but returned to favor in
October 2015. 210
b. Key Individuals in the Second Echelon of
the Leadership
In addition to those closest to Kim Jong-un, the wider North Korean
leadership is composed of echelons of power where many of the formal elite belong.
The second echelon includes officials who hold critical positions within the leadership.
They are responsible for relevant policy areas or have control over critical resources
and patronage systems. 211 These officials can provide advice and intelligence, but
have no decision-making authority. Many have also cultivated a close relationship
with Kim Jong-un since 2010, when he became the heir apparent. Some within this
echelon may occasionally be able to reach out to him directly, bypassing his gatekeepers.
212 As Kim Jong-un consolidates his power, many of these leaders will likely
disappear from the leadership. 213 As of now, this echelon of the senior leadership
includes the following individuals:
210 “Kim Jong Un Visits Newly Built ‘Village’ in Rason,” KCNA, October 7, 2015.
211 It should be noted that it is particularly difficult to identify individuals at this level of the
leadership because their standing is tied to their posts within the formal leadership. In the case of the
Party, appointments and retirements within the senior leadership bodies (such as the Politburo and
CMC) have been largely hidden since 2012. In August 2015, for example, the North Korean media
mentioned that several members had been dropped from the ranks of the CMC; however, it failed to
identify these individuals.
212 This ability to bypass the gatekeepers is likely tied to a person’s relationship with Kim Jong-un.
Blood relatives of the Kim family and close associates of Kim Jong-il may have a certain amount of access
that is denied to others.
213 Nicolas Levi, “Analysis: Old Generation of North Korean Elite Remain Active,” New Focus
International, July 31, 2013. Some Pyongyang-watchers, such as Levi, caution against the belief that the
old guard is being forced out. Many still continue to play important roles within the regime despite their
age and health.
Ken E. Gause
83