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Kim Yong-chol

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For other people named Kim Yeong-cheol, see Kim Yeong-cheol (disambiguation).
In this Korean name, the family name is Kim.
General of the Army
Kim Yong-chol
김영철
Kim in January 2019
Head of the United Front Department of the Workers' Party of Korea
In office
2021 – 11 June 2022
Preceded byJang Kum Chol
Succeeded byRi Son-gwon
In office
4 January 2016 – 2019
Preceded byKim Yang-gon
Succeeded byJang Kum Chol
Vice Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea
In office
9 May 2016 – 10 January 2021
ChairmanKim Jong-un
Preceded byHwang Pyong-so
Succeeded byOffice abolished
Director of the
Reconnaissance General Bureau
In office
11 February 2009 – 4 January 2016
Supreme LeaderKim Jong-il
Kim Jong-un
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byPak Yong-sik (Acting)
Personal details
Born1946 (age 77–78)
Ryanggang Province, Soviet occupied Korea
Political partyWorkers' Party of Korea
EducationKim Il-sung Military University, Red Flag Mangyongdae Revolutionary School
Military service
Allegiance North Korea
Branch/serviceKorean People's Army
Rank General
Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl
김영철
Hancha
金英徹
Revised RomanizationGim Yeong-cheol
McCune–ReischauerKim Yŏng-ch'ŏl

Kim Yong-chol (Korean: 김영철; born 1946[1]) is a North Korean general and politician.

From February 2009 to January 2016 he was the director of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, the country's primary intelligence service.[2] From 2016 to 2019, and again from 2021 to 2022, he served as the head of the United Front Department of the Workers' Party of Korea. He also served as the vice chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea for South Korean affairs from 2016 to 2021.

Early life

Kim Yong-chol was born in 1946 in Ryanggang Province.[1]

Career

In 1962 he served in the 15th Division, a civil police company guarding the Korean Demilitarized Zone. In 1968 he was appointed a liaison officer to the United Nations Command, Military Armistice Commission, Korea. In 1976, he was made a division commander of the Supreme Guard Command. In 1990 he was promoted to major general and became deputy director of the Ministry of People's Armed Forces and director of the MPAF Reconnaissance Bureau. In 1998 he was elected as a deputy to the 10th Supreme People's Assembly and again in 2003 to the 11th.

In 2009, he was appointed director of the Reconnaissance General Bureau and Vice-Chief of the General Staff Department of the Korean People's Army. He was also elected as a deputy to the 12th Supreme People's Assembly. In 2010, he was promoted to Colonel-General and elected to the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea and the 6th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. He was a member of the funeral committee of Jo Myong-rok. In 2011, he was a member of the funeral committee of Kim Jong-il.

External videos
video icon Arrival of Kim Yong-chol at the White House, June 1, 2018, C-SPAN
Kim delivering a letter from Chairman Kim to US President Trump in the Oval Office on June 1.

In 2012 he was promoted to general. In 2014, he was elected as a deputy to the 13th Supreme People's Assembly and served on the funeral committee of Jon Pyong-ho.

In May 2016, he was elected to the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. He was elected as a member of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea, the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea and as Vice-Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea. He was appointed director of the United Front Department and served on the funeral committees of Kang Sok-ju and Ryu Mi-yong, and he was elected to the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly.[3]

Kim was sent as part of North Korea's Olympic delegation to the closing ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics held on 24 February 2018. His presence was controversial, mostly due to allegations that Kim was responsible for orchestrating an attack on a South Korean naval ship in 2010 that killed 46 sailors. An article in the Hangook Ilbo warned that Kim's attendance could send "raging waves" throughout the Korean Peninsula, but the games closed without incident.[4]

On 30 May 2018, Kim flew to New York City via China for talks with United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo regarding the 2018 North Korea–United States summit. He was hosted at a residential facility of the US delegation to the United Nations for highly "private" conversations with US counterparts.[5] He then visited the White House for talks with the US President, Donald Trump on 1 June. During this meeting, he delivered a letter to Trump from Kim Jong-un.[6] Because he is subject to US sanctions, the visit required a travel waiver.[7]

On 24 April 2019, Yonhap News Agency reported that North Korea has removed Kim Yong-chol from the head of the United Front Department.[8]

In July 2020, it was reported that Kim Yong-chol was mentioned in a Rodong Sinmun article in relation to North-South communications working with Kim Yo-jong.[9] Also prior to the article on 24 June 2020, Kim Yong-chol condemned remarks by the South Korean defence minister when he called for "mutual efforts" to reduce tensions between the two Koreas.[10]

In June 2023, he was appointed an adviser of the United Front Department.[11]

Awards and honours

A picture of Kim shows him wearing the ribbons to all decorations awarded to him.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c 김영철(남성). nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr (in Korean). Ministry of Unification. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  2. ^ What the new photos of North Korea's leaders say. BBC News, 13 May 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  3. ^ "Gen. Kim Yong Chol". 17 October 2010. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  4. ^ Rich, Motoko (26 February 2018). "The Olympics are Finished. Is the Diplomacy?". The New York Times.
  5. ^ "Trump-Kim teams meet to salvage summit". BBC News. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  6. ^ Mason, Jeff (30 May 2018). "In complete reversal, Trump revives summit with North Korean leader". Reuters. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  7. ^ "North Korea's negotiator is not a very nice man". 31 May 2018.
  8. ^ "North Korea removes leader Kim's right-hand man - report". Yonhap News Agency. 24 April 2019.
  9. ^ "What the re-emergence of Kim Yong Chol could mean for North Korean policymaking | NK News". 8 July 2020.
  10. ^ "North Korea could reverse suspension of military action against South: Official | NK News". 24 June 2020.
  11. ^ "Kim Yong-chol returns to N. Korean party's political bureau". Yonhap News Agency. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  12. ^ "Relatives Protest Visit By North Korea General Blamed For Warship Sinking". NDTV.com. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
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