Kim Jong Un on Sunday overhauled the top levels of the military commands of North Korea, bringing in a new Minister of National Defense and promoting a top general who had stepped back from front-line duty in recent years back to a senior post on the country's top military commission.
Kim, who chairs the 9th WPK's Central Military Commission, held its 2nd meeting on August 29 where KCNA reported that "a number of organizational matters to bring improvements and developments to the country's future overall defense work" had been discussed by the participants.
The post of minister of national defense has been given to Kim Song-gi, who until recently headed the General Political Bureau of the KPA and therefore was responsible for ensuring ideological purity within the army. His predecessor, No Kwang-chol, was relegated to the post of first vice-director of the Munitions Industry Department, a body subordinate to the ruling Workers' Party.
General Pak Jong-chon, another old-time strategist and former General Staff Chief, has returned to serve on the Workers' Party's Central Military Commission. He had moved to the rear some years ago, and many had thought that he had retired from active service.
Further restructuring took place in the KPA's senior leadership ranks. Yu Kwang-u, Security Bureau Chief of the KPA, became the KPA's General Political Bureau's First Vice Director and a member of the Political Bureau of the Workers' Party. Yu's post as Security Bureau Chief was taken by Om Ju-ho, Political Commissar of the KPA Air Force.
Separately, Kim has praised the scientists, researchers and officials at defense research institutions in various parts of the country which have developed and improved a range of combat weapon systems.
Pyongyang is said to be pressing ahead with its weapons programs through 2025 and into 2026, including ballistic missile tests and efforts to modernize its nuclear deterrent force, according to recent state media reports. Meanwhile, it continues to deploy troops and military advisors to support Russian actions in Eastern Europe, cementing military-to-military relations between the two countries.
The reshuffle of North Korea's senior military officials appears to be positioning the KPA for a prolonged confrontation posture by focusing on increasing political reliability at the highest levels of the force as much as improving its military capabilities.
