80% Turnover in Key North Korean Posts... "Kim Jong-un's Personnel Pragmatism and Establishment of a Loyal Regime"

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North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un attended the completion ceremony of the Suncheon Fertilizer Factory on May 1, Labor Day, according to Korean Central TV on the 2nd. Smoke from a cigarette is rising from Chairman Kim's hand as he smiles brightly.

It has been confirmed that the annual personnel turnover rate in North Korea's party, government, and military organizations exceeds 80%. This reflects Kim Jong-un's pragmatic personnel style and is also seen as the establishment of a loyal regime.

According to the '2020 North Korea Key Figures Information' and '2020 North Korea Organizational Directory' published by the Ministry of Unification on the 13th, the turnover rate of senior officials in key organizations such as the Workers' Party Political Bureau and the State Affairs Commission is approaching 90%.

Current Personnel Status of North Korea's Key Organizations.

A Ministry of Unification official told reporters on the same day, "The turnover rate exceeds 80% in the Party Political Bureau and government organization, the State Affairs Commission," adding, "Such generational changes have been continuously taking place since the Kim Jong-un era."

He explained, "Kim Jong-un's pragmatic personnel pattern trend is strengthening," and "There are many cases where individuals who have achieved results in specific fields are promoted."

The official added, "It can also be seen that Kim Jong-un's loyal regime is being solidified."

The booklet published by the Ministry of Unification added 23 new figures, including Kim Jong-gwan, Minister of the People's Armed Forces; Kim Jong-ho, Minister of People's Security; Jang Kum-chol, Head of the Workers' Party United Front Department; and Hyon Song-wol, Deputy Director of the Party Propaganda and Agitation Department.

Among them, the Minister of the People's Armed Forces is called one of the "three top leaders of the North Korean military" along with the Director of the General Political Bureau and the Chief of the General Staff. Kim Jong-gwan is known to have directed the construction of the Wonsan-Galma district and hot spring tourist sites, which are projects of interest to Kim Jong-un, during his time as Vice Minister of the Ministry of People's Armed Forces.

Kim Jong-gwan's promotion is cited as a representative case of Kim Jong-un's merit-based personnel principle. Former Minister of Unification Lee Jong-seok pointed out Kim Jong-gwan's case at a Ministry of Unification press briefing earlier this year, saying, "Kim Jong-un's personnel style shows meritocracy."

Furthermore, Kim Jong-un's frequent personnel changes are also evaluated as a strategy to establish a loyal regime and induce loyalty.

Kim Jong-gwan is the eighth Minister of the People's Armed Forces appointed by Kim Jong-un since his rise to power in 2012. During the half-century-long eras of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, there were eight individuals who served as Minister of the People's Armed Forces. The frequent replacement of the Minister of the People's Armed Forces by Kim Jong-un is widely analyzed as a measure to induce loyalty within the military and maintain discipline.

The whereabouts of Kim Yo-jong, the first deputy director of the Party and Kim Jong-un's younger sister, have also been a matter of interest, but government authorities remain cautious. Recently, there have been speculations that she moved to the Organization and Guidance Department, the top-ranked organization of the Workers' Party, but the government has not confirmed this.

In the key figures information, the Ministry of Unification listed Kim Jong-un's titles only as "First Deputy Director of the Party Central Committee," "Candidate Member of the Party Political Bureau," and "Deputy to the 14th Supreme People's Assembly." A Ministry of Unification official said, "We are gathering information and opinions from various experts, but nothing has been officially confirmed."

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un attended the completion ceremony of the Suncheon Fertilizer Factory on May 1, Labor Day, according to the Workers' Party organ, Rodong Sinmun. Chairman Kim, dressed in a black workers' uniform, is seen smiling brightly as he toured the factory.

Additionally, the Ministry of Unification revealed that North Korea has subdivided the existing Ministry of Heavy Industry and newly established the Ministry of Shipbuilding Industry. This is seen as an effort to organize departments responsible for related fields in line with the policy of self-reliance and concentrated economic development. In particular, it can be viewed as a step considering maritime trade ahead of potential sanctions relief.

The elevation of Kaesong City, where the Kaesong Industrial Complex is located, to a "Special City" was also recorded in this booklet. The Ministry of Unification explained, "North Korean state media mentioned other special cities such as Nampo and Rason last year and earlier this year, and also named Kaesong City."

The chairmanship of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland (CPRF), North Korea's main agency for inter-Korean affairs and counterpart to the Ministry of Unification, remains vacant in this booklet as well. As North Korea's silence, which has signaled a breakdown in inter-Korean dialogue since last year, continues, the government's independent efforts for inter-Korean cooperation are expected to face setbacks.

Ri Son-gwon, who held the CPRF chairmanship, reportedly moved to the position of Foreign Minister at the end of last year, which was officially confirmed by North Korean media in January this year. However, the successor has not been identified. The Ministry of Unification stated that it has not yet determined who the CPRF chairman is.

The CPRF is a state agency that announces North Korea's official position on inter-Korean relations, and its chairman is the counterpart to the Minister of Unification. Interaction between the CPRF and the Ministry of Unification is essential for inter-Korean dialogue, exchange, and cooperation.

Although the government has actively proposed inter-Korean cooperation this year, including joint quarantine efforts, inter-Korean railway and road connection projects, the establishment of an international peace zone in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), and individual tourism to North Korea, the North has so far remained unresponsive.

In August last year, the CPRF spokesperson issued a statement saying, "We have nothing more to say to the South Korean authorities and have no intention of sitting down together again," and this stance appears to continue.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.