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China-Japan-Koreas

N. Korea's Brat Pack Lead Life of Luxury

2011-04-19

When Kim Jong-chol, the second son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, spent 10 leisurely days in Singapore in February going on a luxury shopping spree and attending an Eric Clapton concert, he was apparently joined by a brat pack of children of powerful officials in North Korea. An official source here said Sunday intelligence information reveals Kim Jong-chol (30) and members of the so-called Ponghwajo or torch group not only visited Singapore, but also went to Macao and Malaysia to gamble and shop. The Ponghwajo consists of the regime's princelings, not to be confused with the children of early high-ranking officials who fought as revolutionaries along with former North Korean leader Kim Il-sung. These sons of the revolutionaries are now in their 50s and 60s and have recently been tapped to serve in key positions under North Korea's heir apparent Kim Jong-un. But the Ponghwajo are in their 30s and 40s and are not viewed favorably by the regime's leadership. Though they are often engaged in activities that generate dollar revenues through drug sales, counterfeiting and black market trade, they apparently do not wield much political power. The group was formed in the early 2000s by O Se-won, the son of Gen. O Kuk-ryol, a senior leader in North Korea's powerful National Defense Commission, and Kim Chol, the son of Kim Won-hong, head of the People's Army Security Command. Its members include Ri Il-hyok, the first son of Ri Chol, former North Korean ambassador to Switzerland and the official in charge of handling Kim Jong-il's secret bank accounts, as well as Kang Tae-seung, the eldest son of First Vice Foreign Minister Kang Sok-ju and Jo Song-ho, the eldest son of the late Jo Myong-rok, first vice chairman of the National Defense Commission who died last year.

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China-Japan-Koreas

Dupe URL: The Torrid Romantic Life of Kim Jong-il

2011-01-21

He doen't sound like a fun date... Yun Hye-yong was a woman beyond the reach even of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il. Yun, the lead singer of Kim's former favorite band Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble, was brutally executed after she spurned Kim's persistent advances and fell in love with another man. Or so claims Chang Jin-song, an author formerly affiliated with the North Korean Workers' Party, in "Kim Jong-il's Last Woman." Published in May, it is an epic poem that details Kim's private life and inside story of his regime based on the true story of the Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble. According to the book, Kim ordered Yun Hye-yong's songs to be used for the mass gymnastic performance "Arirang," and attended a concert with her on his birthday. Although many women had found the dictator's favor before, none had ever merited a place next to him at a public event. Kim even sent officials to Europe to buy her stage costumes and accessories. Yet Yun loved the band's pianist. When Kim's agents discovered their relationship by tapping her phone, Yun jumped from the roof of Mokran House, an official banquet hall, with her lover. Although the man died instantly, Kim ordered his men to kill Yun after resuscitating her by any means. She was eventually executed at the end of 2003, while still in coma. Kim Ok, another of Kim's paramours, was introduced in the South Korean media in July 2006 as his fourth wife. However, the woman whom the media named "Kim Ok" was not the woman who features in a book by Kenji Fujimoto, Kim Jong-il's former personal chef. According to the June issue of the Monthly Chosun, "Kim Ok was in fact Kim Son-ok, a former aide to Jo Myong-rok, the first vice chairman of North Korea's National Defense Commission. The real Kim Ok was the pianist of Wangjaesan Light Music Band and a graduate of Kumsong Senior Middle School, known for extensively training Kim's private entertainers. Kim loved her more for her bold personality and sharp wit than her looks, and granted her the privilege of speaking informally to him. To Kim, long used to absolute obedience to his authority, Kim Ok's gestures would've appeared refreshing. Although Kim's former wives Song Hye-rim and Ko Yong-hui were artists, they were civilians to begin with, not women exclusively trained to entertain Kim. But Kim Ok had been selected for such a purpose, and often entertained Kim at the orgies he held with his inner circle. It would have been unthinkable, therefore, for Kim to make Kim Ok his official wife. Most women with whom Kim was involved were celebrities. It is widely known that he moved in with the actress Song Hye-rim after abandoning his fiancé Kim Yong-sook. Hong Yong-hui, who was bestowed the title of "distinguished actress" at the age of 18, or Woo In-hui, an actress publicly executed for openly speaking about her relationship with Kim, were among many celebrities who had become Kim's paramours.

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China-Japan-Koreas

Nork Party Bigwig Dies

2010-11-08

The North Korean media on Sunday listed leader Kim Jong-il's son and heir Kim Jong-un second after his father among members of a funeral committee for a senior apparatchik, suggesting that Kim junior has consolidated his position in the party hierarchy. The Kims topped a list of 171 members of the funeral committee for Jo Myong-rok, a member of the Politburo of the Workers Party and first vice chairman of the top policy-making National Defense Commission. Jo, who ranked fourth in the party hierarchy, died of a heart attack on Saturday aged 82. The heart always stops at the end, though at age 82 it might have actually been a death due to natural causes. But to live to 82 in Nork-Land you have to be one nasty piece of work ... A South Korean security official speculated Kim Jong-un "seems to have risen to second place some 40 days since he was rated sixth" during a Sept. 28 party congress that marked his first public appearance, following his father, Kim Yong-nam, the president of the Supreme People's Assembly, premier Choe Yong-rim, Jo, and Ri Yong-ho, the chief of the Army general staff. Each of whom should retain their food tasters ... A North Korean source said the heir apparent has probably already been promoted to the posts left vacant by Jo or will assume them as soon as the mourning period ends.

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China-Japan-Koreas

N. Korea's Firing of Senior Officer Sparks Speculation

2010-06-04

North Korea has relieved the octogenarian Vice Marshal Kim Il-chol, a member of the regime's top decision-making body, of all his official positions, it said Friday. The North's official Korean Central News Agency said, "In accordance with a National Defense Commission decision, Kim Il-chol has been relieved of his positions as a NDC member and first vice minister of the People's Armed Forces because of his advanced age." Kim is 80. It is unprecedented for the North Korean regime to fire a top official based on age. It has allowed senior officials to stay at their posts until they die since leader Kim Jong-il said in December 1995, "It is a noble sense of obligation for a revolutionary to respect senior revolutionaries." Older officials than Kim Il-chol are still working as NDC members, including Jo Myong-rok (82), the director of the General Political Department, Jon Pyong-ho (84), a secretary for military logistics, and Ri Yong-mu (87), an NDC vice chairman. Kim Ki-nam, a secretary of the Workers' Party's Central Committee, is 83. He came to Seoul in August last year to attend the funeral of former President Kim Dae-jung. Ryu Dong-ryeol, a researcher at the Police Science Institute, said, "This may be a signal for a generational shift or regime restructuring." He suggested that senior members of the military, party and government will likely be replaced as Kim Jong-il consolidates his succession by his son Jong-un. A North Korean source speculated that Kim Il-chol was removed because he had made some kind of mistake, perhaps because he complained about his status or lost out in internal power struggles. He had been demoted from minister of the People's Armed Forces to first vice minister in February last year. A former naval commander, he was promoted to minister in 1998. He came to Seoul in 2000, leading the North Korean delegation to inter-Korean defense ministers' meeting.

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China-Japan-Koreas

N. Korea Purges Party, Military

2010-02-07

The North Korean regime is purging senior military and party officials. In the Workers' Party, the heads of the financial and economic sections have been sacked over the disastrous currency reform and international sanctions, and in the military, officers in their 70s and 80s from the era of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung are making way for younger military leaders in their 50s and 60s. Young blood and fresh ideas. Goody. In the Workers' Party, three key economic figures have been replaced. Finance Director Pak Nami-gi was apparently axed on Jan 20, taking the fall for the failed currency revaluation late last year. "Room 39" bureau director Kim Tong-un was recently replaced by his deputy Jon Il-chun after having managed the regime's secret coffers for 36 years. A source says that Kim Tong-un was replaced because he was put under a personal travel ban by the EU in December last year and it was difficult for him to manage overseas funds for the North Korean leader. Han Kwang-sang was apparently promoted from first deputy of the finance and accounting department to head, which has been vacant for a long time. The department is in charge of managing party funds. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il last month tapped Vice Foreign Minister Kim Yong-il, who is familiar with Chinese affairs and served as the chief negotiator to the six-way nuclear talks, as the head of the party's department for international affairs. An intelligence officer in Seoul says the appointment of Kim Yong-il is likely related to the international sanctions, which were imposed after the North conducted its second nuclear test. Several military leaders in their 70s and 80s have disappeared from the scene due to old age and chronic disease, including Marshal Ri Ul-sol; Jo Myong-rok, director of the Army's General Political Bureau; and Ri Yong-mu, vice chairman of the National Defense Commission. They have been in the military since the era of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung. Defense Minister Kim Yong-chun has also not been seen in public for more than two months, apparently due to ill health. He had been the chief of the Army's General Staff for more than 10 years after Kim Jong-il succeeded his father. Rising military leaders are Gen. Ri Yong-ho, the current chief of the Army's General Staff, and Kim Jong-gak, vice-director of the Army's general political department. Both are, though not exactly youthful, in their 60s. A North Korea source says Ri is an artillery expert and may have been behind North Korea's recent firing of artillery shells into waters near the maritime border in the West Sea. Baek Seung-joo, chief of the Center for Security and Strategy at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, says, "Many North Korean military officers in their 50s and 60s were assigned to the general political department, which checks the loyalty of the military to the North Korean leader." They will play an important role in consolidating the succession to the heir apparent Kim Jong-un, he added. Analysts say that the party purges are an attempt to appease growing popular discontent after the failed currency reform led to skyrocketing prices, while the replacement of top brass is a move to prepare for the succession. Dongguk University professor Kim Yong-hyun says, "To ease public dissatisfaction with the currency revaluation, North Korea needs to replace financial officials responsible and adopt a new policy." Given that the priority that the North puts on the military, the military reshuffle may be aimed at laying the foundation for heir apparent Kim Jong-un to take power. A North Korean source says Kim Jong-un has a post in the Defense Commission and is exercising his influence over personnel changes in the military.

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China-Japan-Koreas

The Torrid Romantic Life of Kim Jong-il

2009-08-08

Yun Hye-yong was a woman beyond the reach even of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il. Yun, the lead singer of Kim's former favorite band Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble, was brutally executed after she spurned Kim's persistent advances and fell in love with another man. Or so claims Chang Jin-song, an author formerly affiliated with the North Korean Workers' Party, in "Kim Jong-il's Last Woman." Published in May, it is an epic poem that details Kim's private life and inside story of his regime based on the true story of the Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble. According to the book, Kim ordered Yun Hye-yong's songs to be used for the mass gymnastic performance "Arirang," and attended a concert with her on his birthday. Although many women had found the dictator's favor before, none had ever merited a place next to him at a public event. Kim even sent officials to Europe to buy her stage costumes and accessories. Yet Yun loved the band's pianist. When Kim's agents discovered their relationship by tapping her phone, Yun jumped from the roof of Mokran House, an official banquet hall, with her lover. Although the man died instantly, Kim ordered his men to kill Yun after resuscitating her by any means. She was eventually executed at the end of 2003, while still in coma. Kim Ok, another of Kim's paramours, was introduced in the South Korean media in July 2006 as his fourth wife. However, the woman whom the media named "Kim Ok" was not the woman who features in a book by Kenji Fujimoto, Kim Jong-il's former personal chef. According to the June issue of the Monthly Chosun, "Kim Ok was in fact Kim Son-ok, a former aide to Jo Myong-rok, the first vice chairman of North Korea's National Defense Commission. The real Kim Ok was the pianist of Wangjaesan Light Music Band and a graduate of Kumsong Senior Middle School, known for extensively training Kim's private entertainers. Kim loved her more for her bold personality and sharp wit than her looks, and granted her the privilege of speaking informally to him. To Kim, long used to absolute obedience to his authority, Kim Ok's gestures would've appeared refreshing. Although Kim's former wives Song Hye-rim and Ko Yong-hi were artists, they were civilians to begin with, not women exclusively trained to entertain Kim. But Kim Ok had been selected for such a purpose, and often entertained Kim at the orgies he held with his inner circle. It would have been unthinkable, therefore, for Kim to make Kim Ok his official wife. Most women with whom Kim was involved were celebrities. It is widely known that he moved in with the actress Song Hye-rim after abandoning his fiancé Kim Yong-sook. Hong Young-hee, who was bestowed the title of "distinguished actress" at the age of 18, or Woo In-hee, an actress publicly executed for openly speaking about her relationship with Kim, were among many celebrities who had become Kim's paramours.

Link

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