Choe and Sport Win as SPA Results Released

In addition to reasserting the supremacy of Kim Jong Eun in
North Korea’s National Defense Commission (NDC), yesterday’s Supreme People’s
Assembly (SPA) session saw both Kim Young Nam and Pak Pong Ju keep their positions
in the state hierarchy. Kim remains chairperson of the SPA Standing Committee,
while Pak continues as Cabinet Prime Minister.

Prior to the SPA session, some had predicted that 86-year
old Kim could step down. However, this did not occur; rather, he delivered an extended
speech recommending the re-election of Kim Jong Eun as chair of the NDC.

The most noticeable senior personnel change that did take
place was the promotion of Chosun People’s Army’s General Political Department head
Choe Ryong Hae. He becomes one of three deputies in the NDC, arguably the most powerful state
institution. The others are Ri Yong Mu and O Kuk Ryol. Jang Song Taek, who was
executed as a counter-revolutionary in December last year, previously occupied
Choe’s position.

In addition, Ri Su Yong [aka Ri Cheol] was promoted to the
Minister of Foreign Affairs portfolio. Ri was a prominent aide to Kim Jong Eun
and his sister Kim Yeo Jung during their time studying in Switzerland at the
turn of the century, and was a loyal manager of Kim Jong Il’s
ruling funds.

There is the suggestion that Ri’s elevation could be intended to convey a
willingness to engage the outside world
diplomatically with skills cultivated over a number of years in Europe. However, one competing interpretation is that Ri’s close affiliation
with the executed Jang Song Taek made it more difficult to leave him in a senior
overseas post, and so he has been brought back to Pyongyang.

Other important NDC personnel changes to emerge were the elevation
of Armed Forces Minister Jang Jong Nam and Jo Chun Ryong to the body, and the continuing
presence of Party secretary Pak To Chun, Department of State
Security head Kim Won Hong and his counterpart in Public Security,
Choe Pu Il. The losers were Kim Kyok Sik, Joo Kyu Chang, and Baek Se Bong, all
of whom were removed.

Institutionally speaking, the biggest change was the abolishment of the Ministry of Light Industry. The elimination of the ministry is potentially related to the need to ease Jang Song Taek’s wife Kim Kyong Hui out of the political picture. Kim, Kim Jong Il’s sister, is
believed to be in extremely poor health and receiving care abroad. She did not
appear yesterday, and it is uncertain whether she will appear in public
again.

Elsewhere, Minister of Finance Choe Kwang Jin delivered an
annual report on economic matters. The reported state budget is to increase
6.5% year-on-year, he asserted. Of this, spending on sports is to rise by 17.1%, far
above that of sectors. Other increases are between 1% and 5%. No actual amounts were reported, and it is not clear whether budgetary allocations will actually take place.