Kim Takes More Top Posts

Chosun Central News Agency today revealed that at yesterday’s 4th Chosun Workers’ Party Delegates’ Conference, Kim Jong Eun, in addition to becoming Chosun Workers’ Party 1st Secretary, also took on a number of additional positions formerly occupied by Kim Jong Il.

KCNA announced, “The Delegates’ Conference, in accordance with Workers’ Party regulations and with the electoral rules of the Workers’ Party’s supreme leading organs, declared Workers’ Party 1st Secretary comrade Kim Jong Eun a member of the Politburo of the Party Central Committee, a member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo and chairman of the Party Central Military Commission.”

In other notable moves, Party secretary and newly elevated Vice Marshal Choi Ryong Hae has replaced Cho Myung Rok as a member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo. In addition, Choi takes over from the promoted Kim Jong Eun as a vice chairman of the Party Central Military Commission, while Jang Sung Taek and General Political Bureau 1st Vice Director Kim Jeong Gak have moved to the full Politburo from their previous status as candidate members. Kim Jong Il’s sister and Party Light Industry Department Director Kim Kyung Hee has been made a Central Committee secretary.

Christopher Green is a researcher in Korean Studies based at Leiden University in the Netherlands. Chris has published widely on North Korean political messaging strategies, contemporary South Korean broadcast media, and the socio-politics of Korean peninsula migration. He is the former Manager of International Affairs for Daily NK. His X handle is: @Dest_Pyongyang.