N. Korea reshuffles its leadership for 2020

Ri Il-hwan, Ri Pyong-chol, and Kim Dok-hun were appointed as vice chairs on the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) Central Committee during its fifth plenary session from Dec. 28 to 31. (Yonhap News)

Kim Jong-un’s younger sister Kim Yo-jong likely made vice director of WPK Organization and Guidance Department

Ri Il-hwan, Ri Pyong-chol, and Kim Dok-hun were appointed as vice chairs on the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) Central Committee during its fifth plenary session from Dec. 28 to 31. (Yonhap News)

The 5th Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) witnessed a sweeping reshuffle of the leadership, in a move inspired by the “frontal breakthrough offensive” ordered by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The reshuffle also represents a changing of the guard.

Quite a few full and probationary members of the Politburo, a key body in the WPK, as well as WPK Central Committee vice chairs and department directors (minister level), were shuffled out. Some of the more notable changes were a lateral move by Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un’s younger sister, and the rise of Kim Hyong-jun and Ri Pyong-chol, who were both appointed as vice chairs on the WPK Central Committee.

While Kim Yo-jong had already been declared “first vice director” of a WPK department by North Korean media in February 2018, she was once again given that rank during the plenary session, the Rodong Sinmun reported. It’s widely thought that she was transferred from the WPK Propaganda and Agitation Department to the WPK Organization and Guidance Department, the most prestigious department in the party.

From the top left clockwise are pictured Kim Jong-kwan, Pak Jong-chon, Kim Hyong-jun, Kim Il-chol, Ri Ho-rim, and Ho Chol-man, who were appointed as department directors within the Workers’ Party of Korea Central Committee during its fifth plenary session from Dec. 28 to 31. (Yonhap News)

Kim Hyong-jun promoted to replace Ri Su-yong

Kim Hyong-jun, former ambassador to Russia, was simultaneously named vice chair of the WPK Central Committee and director of a WPK department. Kim may have been appointed to replace Ri Su-yong, who served as WPK Central Committee vice chair and head of international affairs.

Ri Pyong-chol was named first vice director of a WPK department, director of another department, and vice chair of the Central Committee, and his membership status at the Politburo was elevated from probationary to full. Ri is believed to be the figure responsible for developing weapons, including nuclear weapons, since Kim came to power, as well as the person behind the successful development of “new tactical weapons” since the North Korea-US summit in Hanoi in February 2019.

According to an analysis by South Korea’s Unification Ministry, 10 of the 15 department heads in the WPK, or two-thirds, were replaced or reassigned in this reshuffle. Choe Pu-il, one of Kim’s closest aides, was moved from his position as Minister of People’s Security to the head of a WPK department. Another new WPK department head is Oh Il-jong, son of Oh Jin-u, a guerilla against the Japanese who became a key figure during the rule of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, serving as Minister of Armed Forces.

There had been questions about the absence of Pak Pong-ju, vice chair in the WPK Central Committee, during the first few days of the WPK Plenary Session, but he reportedly attended the fourth day of the proceedings, on Dec. 31, in a wheelchair.

By Kim So-youn, staff reporter, and Lee Je-hun, senior staff writer

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