Pak Yong-sik

Pak Yong-sik (born 1950)[2] is a senior North Korean military officer and Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) politician, who served as the country's defence minister from 2015 to 2018. Pak is the 6th Defense Minister appointed by Kim Jong Un. Pak is a member of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea.[2]

In this Korean name, the family name is Pak.
Pak Yong-sik
Minister of Defence
In office
11 July 2015 – 4 June 2018
Supreme LeaderKim Jong Un
Preceded byHyon Yong-chol
Succeeded byNo Kwang-chol
Personal details
Born
Pak Yong-sik

1950 (age 72–73)
Pyongyang, North Korea
Political partyWorkers' Party of Korea
Military service
Allegiance North Korea
Rank General
Pak Yong-sik
Chosŏn'gŭl
박영식
Hancha
朴永植[1]
Revised RomanizationBak Yeongsik
McCune–ReischauerPak Yŏngsik

Pak Yong-sik was appointed vice-director of the Political Department of the Korean People's Army sometime before January 2015,[3][4] having previously served as an official of the Ministry of People's Security.[5] He was promoted to general in April 2015,[6] and shortly thereafter he took over the post of minister of the People's Armed Forces after his predecessor, Hyon Yong-chol, was demoted for insubordination. His promotion was publicly revealed on 11 July, though the exact date of his appointment is unknown.[7][8]

In June 2018, it was announced that he had been sacked about a week before the summit between North Korea and the United States, and was replaced in the position by No Kwang-chol, the first vice minister of the Ministry of People's armed forces.[9]

Summary of service

Assignment history
  • April 1999: Major general (sojang) (소장)
  • April 14, 2009: Lieutenant general (chungjang) (소장)
  • April 2014: Colonel general (sangjang) (상장)
  • 2015: Army general (taejang) (대장)

References
  1. "박영식 (朴永植)PAK Yong Sik". Yonhap News.
  2. "Sanctions List Search - Pak Yong-sik". US Treasury. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  3. "Kim Jong Un Visits Ku'msusan". North Korea Leadership Watch. 2 January 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  4. "Pyongyang may have named new defense chief". The Korea Times. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  5. "Special Investigative Committee Formed Under National Defense Commission". North Korea Leadership Watch. 4 July 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  6. "Kim Jong-un may have appointed new defense chief". Yonhap News Agency. 5 June 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  7. "Seoul: North Korea media confirms purging of defense chief". Yahoo News, AP. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  8. "Talks between DPRK Military Delegation and Lao High-ranking Military Delegation Held". KCNA Watch. 11 July 2015.
  9. Haas, Benjamin (4 June 2018). "North Korea sacks top three military officials, as nuclear summit nears". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 June 2018.


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