Hyon Yong-chol

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In this Korean name, the family name is Hyon.

Vice Marshal
Hyon Yong-chol
Minister of Defence
In office
June 12, 2014 – April 2015
Supreme LeaderKim Jong Un
Preceded byJang Jong-nam
Succeeded byPak Yong-sik
Vice Chairman of the
Central Military Commission
In office
July 26, 2012 – May 24, 2013
Supreme LeaderKim Jong Un
Preceded byChoe Ryong-hae
Ri Yong-ho
Succeeded byChoe Ryong-hae
Chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army
In office
July 26, 2012 – May 24, 2013
Supreme LeaderKim Jong Un
Preceded byRi Yong-ho
Succeeded byKim Kyok-sik
Defence MinisterKim Jong-gak
Kim Kyok-sik
Jang Jong-nam
Personal details
Born
Hyon Yong-chol

(1949-01-11)January 11, 1949
Kyŏngsŏng County (modern Ŏrang County), North Hamgyong Province, North Korea
DiedApril 30, 2015(2015-04-30) (aged 66) (rumored)
North Korea
Military service
Allegiance North Korea
Branch/service Korean People's Army
Rank Vice Marshal (reportedly demoted to General in November 2012)
Hyon Yong-chol
Chosŏn'gŭl
현영철
Hancha
Revised RomanizationHyeon Yeongcheol
McCune–ReischauerHyŏn Yŏngch'ŏl

Hyon Yong-chol (Korean: 현영철; January 11, 1949 – rumored April 30, 2015) was a North Korean general and Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) politician. He served as Minister of Defence from 2014 to 2015. In 2015, he was reportedly removed from his post.[1]

Personal life and career[edit]

North Korean media have stated that Hyon was born in January 1949 and joined the military in 1966. Having served as a battalion commander, he was elected a delegate to the Supreme People's Assembly in 2009.[1] Hyon was promoted to the rank of four-star general (대장) alongside Kim Jong Un, Kim Kyong-hui, Kim Kyong-ok, Choe Ryong-hae, and Choe Pu-il in September 2010.[2] He was on the national funeral committee in the wake of Kim Jong Il's death in December 2011. Hyon was named as a member of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea at the third party conference.[1] In February 2012, Hyon received the Order of Kim Jong Il.[3]

Hyon was promoted to the rank of Vice Marshal (차수) of the KPA in July 2012, two days after Chief of the General Staff Ri Yong-ho was relieved of his duties. It was initially unclear if Hyon would replace Ri as Chief of the General Staff,[4][5][6] but this was confirmed a few days later.[7] He was also identified as vice-chairman of the WPK Central Military Commission on 26 July 2012.[8]

Hyon was reportedly demoted to General in November 2012.[9][10] On 31 March 2013, Hyon was made a Politburo alternate member, though he did not take Ri Yong-ho's former seat on the Politburo Presidium.[11] He was transferred to command the 5th Army Corps in May 2013.[12] He was called back to Pyongyang in June 2014 to serve as minister of the People's Armed Forces.

Ouster and rumoured execution[edit]

South Korea's National Intelligence Service initially reported on May 12, 2015, that Hyon was purged and publicly executed near the end of April 2015 at Kanggon Military Training Area near Pyongyang.[13] It was reported that he was executed – with an anti-aircraft gun – for insubordination and sleeping during formal military rallies, in particular during an event in late April 2015 attended by Kim Jong Un in which Hyon was captured on video napping.[13] A report by CNN indicated that Hyon was accused of treason after he failed to carry out an order by Kim Jong Un, though the nature of this order was not specified. A top official stated that while executions take place for crimes of treason or subversion, Hyon was not among the executed. According to analysts interviewed by BBC News, while reassigning officials was commonplace in North Korea, the execution of a figure as close to Kim Jong Un as Hyon was surprising, and could give cause to concern for the country's stability.[14][15][16]

Hours after the initial report, South Korea's National Intelligence Service revised its statement, saying that although it has intelligence information suggesting that Hyon was executed, it had not been able to verify that. Doubts were raised because footage of Hyon was still being shown on North Korean television.[17] He was also mentioned in the North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun the day he was supposed to have been executed. This would imply that he had been arrested and executed on the same day, which is unlikely.[18] In July, official North Korea media named Pak Yong-sik as the armed forces minister, but did not report Hyon's removal.[19] A South Korean spokesman said that reports of Hyon's execution should be taken as rumors until there was definitive evidence.[20]

His rumoured execution was never confirmed.

Awards and honors[edit]

The official portrait of Hyon illustrates Hyon wearing all the decorations awarded to him.[21]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Hyon Yong-chol, the general who rose out of obscurity". BBC News. May 13, 2015. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
  2. ^ "Hyon Yong-chol named vice marshal of N. Korean military". Yoanhap News Agency. July 17, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  3. ^ Gause, Ken E. (March 2014). "North Korean Leadership Dynamics and Decision-making under Kim Jong-un : A Second Year Assessment" (PDF). CNA. p. 21. Retrieved October 11, 2015.
  4. ^ Yang, Lina, ed. (July 17, 2012). "N Korea names new vice-marshal in military reshuffle". BBC News. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  5. ^ "DPRK awards Hyon Yong Chol title of KPA vice marshal". Xinhuanet. July 17, 2012. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  6. ^ "North Korea promotes military official to key rank after removing army chief". CNN. July 17, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  7. ^ "DPRK appoints new chief of army general staff". China.org.cn. July 19, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
  8. ^ "Kim Jong Un Attends Performance by KPISF, Visits Health Complex & Outdoor Ice Rink", North Korea Leadership Watch, 27 July 2012.
  9. ^ North Korea Reshuffles 1/3 of Its Military Leadership: Source, Arirang News, 16 November 2012.
  10. ^ "N.Korean Army Chief Demoted After Defections". The Chosun Ilbo. October 11, 2012.
  11. ^ Report on Plenary Meeting of WPK Central Committee , KCNA, 31 March 2013.
  12. ^ "N.Korea's Military Reshuffles Are a Dangerous Sign", The Chosun Ilbo, 24 May 2013.
  13. ^ a b "North Korea Defence Chief Hyon Yong-chol 'executed'". BBC News. May 13, 2015. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  14. ^ "Kim Jong Un Purges Defense Chief for Napping, Lawmaker Says". Bloomberg. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  15. ^ Kwon, KJ; Whiteman, Hilary (May 13, 2015). "Reports: North Korea publicly executes defense chief". CNN. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
  16. ^ "North Korea Defence Chief Hyon Yong-chol 'executed'". BBC. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  17. ^ "North Korea defense chief was purged, maybe not executed, says Seoul's spy agency". May 13, 2015.
  18. ^ Choe Sang-hun (May 13, 2015). "Some Doubt That North Korea Executed a Top General". New York Times.
  19. ^ "Seoul: North Korea media confirms purging of defense chief". Yahoo News, AP. Retrieved July 13, 2015.
  20. ^ "Defense chief Hyon Yong Chol replaced, confirms Pyongyang". North Korea Times. July 14, 2015.
  21. ^ "Report: North Korean Defense Chief Executed". Defense News. Agence France-Presse. May 14, 2015. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of People's Armed Forces
2014–2015 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission
2012–2013
Served alongside: Choe Ryong-hae 		Succeeded by
Military offices
Preceded by Chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army
2012–2013 		Succeeded by
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