Jong Kyong-thaek

Jong Kyong-thaek (정경택, born between 1 January 1961 and 31 December 1963[1]) is a North Korean politician. He served as the Minister of State Security from 2018 to 2022, a member of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), an alternate member of the Politburo of the WPK, and a member of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea.

In this Korean name, the family name is Jong.
Colonel General
Jong Kyong-thaek
Director of the KPA General Political Bureau
Assumed office
2022
Preceded byKwon Yong-jin
Minister of State Security
In office
2018–2022
Supreme LeaderKim Jong-un
Preceded byKim Won-hong
Succeeded byRi Chang-dae
Personal details
Bornbetween 1 January 1961 and 31 December 1963
Chagang Province, North Korea
Political partyWorkers' Party of Korea
Military service
Allegiance North Korea
RankColonel general
Jong Kyong-thaek
Chosŏn'gŭl
정경택
Hancha
鄭京澤
Revised RomanizationJeong Gyeongtaek
McCune–ReischauerChŏng Kyŏngt'aek

Family background

Jong's father was Jong Jun-thaek,[2] an intellectual at the core of North Korea's early industrialization efforts under Kim Il-sung and who served as the DPRK's Deputy Premier from 1956 to 1961.[3] Chong headed national industrial planning between 1945 and 1950. He worked closely with Kim Il-sung, traveling with the leader to meet Stalin in Moscow in March 1949,[4] and joining Kim's new Military Affairs Commission with the outbreak of the Korean War.[5] After the war he headed North Korea's chemical industry. Jong Jun-thaek had an economics university named after him (Chong Jun Taek Kyongje Daehak) in Kangwon in 1960.[6] He travelled to Syria and Sudan in 1972 on diplomatic missions, meeting President Assad.[7] Chong died in 1973 when his son was 10 or 12 years old.

Career

Jong's appears to have made his career with the Korean People's Army. He first surfaced as a public figure in November 2015, when he was listed on the funeral committee for Ri Ul-sol, the Korean People's Army General and elder Manchurian guerrilla veteran.[8] In early 2017, Kim Won-hong was removed from the role of Minister of State Security (also known as the Director of the State Security Department, SSD).[9][10] Won-hong had apparently been punished following a party inspection.[11] The appointment of Jong Kyong-thaek as Minister came at the same time as Choe Ryong-hae was appointed director of the Organization and Guidance Department (OGD) which works closely with the SSD. According to North Korea Leadership Watch, "Choe's appointment along with the appointment of Jong Kyong Thaek at State Security are no accident... Choe and Jong's new positions represent a kind of house cleaning to avoid some of the problems that have affected State Security during the last 18 months. Choe and Jong's appointments are also intended to usher in 3rd generation DPRK cadres in the internal security services."[9]

In this capacity, Jong directs both censorship and counter-intelligence.[12][13] For instance, during Kim Jong-un's trip to the 2018 North Korea–United States Singapore Summit, Jong "supervised the collection, consolidation and analysis of myriad intelligence reports from around the DPRK derived from eavesdropping and SSD's pyramid-like human intelligence networks. Col. Gen. Jong probably supervised the mobilization of additional electronic capabilities and personnel to monitor the DPRK's defense industry."[14]

Since October 2017, Jong has been a member of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and an alternate member of the Politburo of the WPK.[15] At the sixth session of the 13th Supreme People's Assembly on 11 April 2018, Jong also took Kim Won-hong's seat in the State Affairs Commission of North Korea.[16] Jong's military rank is colonel general.[14] He resides in Pyongyang.[1]

On 10 December 2018, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Jong and two other top North Korean leaders, citing abuses and Jong's role in the government of North Korea and the WPK,[12] a step criticized by the Rodong Sinmun.[17]

On 22 March 2021, the Council of the European Union imposed a set of restrictive measures against Kyong-thaek giving the reason for listing: "As Head of the Ministry of State Security, Jong Kyong-thaek is responsible for serious human rights violations in the DPRK, in particular torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings, enforced disappearance of persons, and arbitrary arrests or detentions, as well as widespread forced labour and sexual violence against women."[18]

Jong was part of a high-level welcoming delegation for China's paramount leader Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan, greeting them both at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun square and attending an artistic performance with them in Pyongyang on 20 June 2019.[19]

Jong was promoted to the rank of general on 23 May 2020.[20] On 30 September 2020, he was reported to be demoted to Colonel General.[21] Now he is director of the KPA General Political Bureau.

Awards and honors

The official portrait of Jong shows him wearing the ribbons of all decorations awarded to him.[22]

See also

References
  1. "North Korea Designations". United States Department of the Treasury. 10 December 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  2. '북한 비밀경찰 수장 국가보위상에 정경택 취임' 아사히. Newsis (in Korean). 25 November 2017.
  3. "Chong Jun Taek Dies at 61; North Korea Vice Premier". New York Times. 13 January 1973.
  4. 朴明林：韩国战争的决定过程：苏中朝的作用 - 中国战略与管理研究会. www.cssm.org.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  5. "Chinese May Aid North Koreans". Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room. CIA. Archived from the original on 23 January 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  6. Taylor, Ann C. M., ed. (2016). World List of Universities / Liste Mondiale des Universites (19th ed.). International Association of Universities, Springer. doi:10.1007/978-1-349-12037-6. ISBN 978-1-349-12037-6.
  7. Gills, Barry (2005). Korea versus Korea: A Case of Contested Legitimacy. Routledge. p. 132.
  8. 통일뉴스. Tongil News (in Korean). Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  9. "Choe Ryong Hae to OGD? [revised 13 JAN 2018] |". North Korea Leadership Watch. 13 January 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  10. "Has Kim Won Hong Sung his Swan Song?". 38 North. 14 February 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  11. Kim Soo-yeon (11 January 2018). "N. Korean official Choe Ryong-hae apparently leading ruling party's key department". Yonhap. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  12. "Treasury Sanctions North Korean Officials and Entities in Response to the Regime's Serious Human Rights Abuses and Censorship". United States Department of the Treasury. 10 December 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  13. "US imposes sanctions on three top North Korean officials". The Guardian. AFP. 10 December 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  14. "OGD (The Road Song) and The Ghost of Sejanus". North Korea Leadership Watch. 24 June 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  15. 정경택(남성). North Korea Information Portal (in Korean). Ministry of Unification. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  16. "6th Session of the 13th SPA Held". North Korea Leadership Watch. 14 April 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  17. Ryall, Julian (11 December 2018). "US sanctions top North Korean officials over human rights abuses". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  18. "EUR-Lex - 02020R1998-20210322 - EN - EUR-Lex". eur-lex.europa.eu. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  19. Cathcart, Adam [@adamcathcart] (19 September 2019). "Xi Jinping greets Jong Kyong-thaek (정경택/郑京泽), DPRK Minister of State Security, in Pyongyang on 20 June 2019. Jong is also a Politburo member who (along w/ Choe Ryong-hae) had been targetted by US Treasury Department #sanctions 6 months prior. [...]" (Tweet). Retrieved 19 September 2019 – via Twitter.
  20. "Order of Chairman of WPK Central Military Commission Issued". KCNA. 24 May 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  21. "N. Korea's spy chief demoted to colonel general". Yonhap. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  22. "조선민주주의인민공화국 최고인민회의 제13기 제6차회의에서 보선된 국무위원회 위원들". uriminzokkiri.com. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
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