Kim Su-gil

Kim Su-gil (김수길, born 1950)[2] is a North Korean general and politician. He was the director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army (KPA) from when he replaced Kim Jong-gak in May 2018 until January 2021.

In this Korean name, the family name is Kim.
General
Kim Su-gil
Chief Secretary of the Pyongyang WPK Committee
Assumed office
1 January 2023[1]
General SecretaryKim Jong-Un
Director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army
In office
May 2018 – January 2021
LeaderKim Jong-un
Preceded byKim Jong-gak
Succeeded byKwon Yong-jin
Personal details
Born1950 (age 72–73)
Political partyWorkers' Party of Korea
Military service
Allegiance North Korea
Branch/service Korean People's Army
Rank General
Kim Su-gil
Chosŏn'gŭl
Hancha
Revised RomanizationKim Sugil
McCune–ReischauerKim Su-kil
[2][3]

Career

Kim Su-gil is a career soldier.[4] In his early career, he held posts in the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army (KPA) and its General Staff Department. On 24 April 1992 he was promoted to the rank of sojang (Major General). On 15 April 2010 he was promoted to chungjang (Lieutenant General). In the Autumn of 2013 he was temporarily demoted to sojang again, like many other high-ranking KPA soldiers. He currently holds a rank of four-star general.[5]

Kim became a vice director of the Ministry of People's Armed Forces in 2006. He also served as the Vice Minister of People's Armed Forces since 2010. From this post, he was involved in the purge and execution of Jang Song-thaek in December 2013.[3]

Kim is a close aide of Kim Jong-un and often accompanies him in public functions.[5] Kim has previously served as the Chairman of the Pyongyang City Committee of the Worker's Party from April 2014 to 2018 when he was replaced by Ri Man-gon. In this post, soon after his appointment, he issued a public apology following a building collapse in the city. He was elected to the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) in 2009 election and again in 2014 election. Kim has served as a full member of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and an alternate member of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea since May 2016. He is also on the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea.[3]

Kim served on the funeral committees of Jon Pyong-ho in 2014, Ri Ul-sol and Kim Yang-gon in 2015, and Kang Sok-ju in 2016.[3]

In April 2018, Kim was elected a member of the SPA Presidium.[6] Kim Su-gil replaced Kim Jong-gak in May 2018 as the director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army. North Korean media announced the reshuffle in May 2018,[7] after Kim Jong-gak had served for merely four months. It is possible that the appointment took place on 17 May at a meeting of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea chaired by Kim Jong-un.[4]

At a personnel reshuffle at the First Session of the 14th SPA Kim lost his seat in the presidium but was elevated to a member of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea.[8]

References
  1. 조선로동당 중앙위원회 제8기 제6차전원회의 공보 (in Korean). Voice of Korea. 1 January 2023 – via KCNA Watch.
  2. 김수길(남성). nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr (in Korean). Ministry of Unification. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  3. "Gen. Kim Su Gil". North Korea Leadership Watch. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  4. Sarah Kim; Kim Eun-bin (28 May 2018). "Reshuffle at top of Pyongyang's army politburo". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  5. Shin, Hyonhee; Smith, Josh (4 June 2018). "North Korea's three new military leaders are loyal to Kim, not policies". Reuters. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  6. "6th Session of the 13th SPA Held". North Korea Leadership Watch. 14 April 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  7. Haas, Benjamin (4 June 2018). "North Korea sacks top three military officials, as nuclear summit nears". the Guardian. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  8. "In full: promotions and demotions at North Korea's 14th SPA". NK PRO. Korea Risk Group. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
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