Nicolas Levi Articles

Fourth Day of the WPK Congress: Kim Jong-un becomes the Party Chairman

North Korea’s ruling-party congress on Monday announced a new title for Kim Jong Un — party chairman. Kim Jong-un had already been head of the party, but with the title of first secretary.

Officially bringing more people into his inner circle, Kim Jong-un filled two vacancies on the powerful Presidium of the party’s central committee. Senior party official Choe Ryong Hae regained a seat that he had lost; once considered Kim Jong Un’s No. 2, he had been briefly banished to a rural collective farm last year for re-education.

Ri Tuk Nam
On the first row we see the former North Leadership. Starting from left: Yang Hyong-sop, Kim Ki-nam, Pak Pong-ju (the North Korean Prime Minister) and Kim Yong-nam (88 years, secretary of the SPA-the North Korean assembly). At the top of the picture on the left side, we notice the presence of Ri Tuk-nam (deputy chair of the Party Control Commission). Source: Rodong Sinmun

Premier Pak Pong Ju was also named to the Presidium. Other members are Kim Jong Un himself; Kim Yong Nam, who as parliament leader is the country’s nominal head of state; and Hwang Pyong So, the top political officer of the Korean People’s Army. Kim Yong Nam, 88, stayed on despite speculation from North Korea-watchers that he might lose his position because of his age.

North Korean authorities plan to revise party rules to reflect “nuclear state” status

Nicolas Levi Articles

Music – a political tool. The example of the Moranbong Band in North Korea

Recently North Korean (also know as Democratic People’s Republic of Korea-DPRK) politicians try to show that their country is normal despite of the purge of Jang Sung Thaek and Choe Ryong Hae. Before his execution, Jang Sung Thaek was highly implicated in the management of entertainment activities. He was the secretary of the 37 members State Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Commission. Jang Sung Thaek was also involved in the visits of former Japanese sportsmen to North Korea (including Antonio Inoki, a former Japanese wrestler involved in the tumultuous Japanese-DPRK relations) and in the management of musical and artistical groups (sucha as the Mansudae Orchestra).

리설주
Ri Sol Ju (en bleu): source chinoise Continue reading “Music – a political tool. The example of the Moranbong Band in North Korea” →

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Credentials to Kim Yong Nam from Ambassador of Ireland to DPRK

Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK, received credentials from Aingeal O’Donoghue, ambassador of Ireland to the DPRK, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Tuesday. Aingeal O’Donoghue will be based in Beijing. It’s the first time that an Irish will be attached to the DPRK. Ireland used to have to diplomatic relations with the DPRK.

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Dans le cadre d’un concert du groupe Moranbong, Kim Yo Jong, la soeur cadette de Kim Jong Eun est réapparue.

Lors d’un concert du groupe musical Moranbong, Kim Jong Eun n’était pas uniquement entouré de militaires suivants (comme Kim Won Hong et Choe Ryong Hae) mais également de sa sœur cadette : Kim Yo Jong. Comment analyser ces réapparitions ? Elles sont dues à la volonté des organes de propagande de la RPDC de démontrer que Kim Jong Eun ne gère pas seule les affaires de son pays. Kim Yo Jong est également sensée radoucir l’image de Kim Jong Eun. Veuillez noter que dans un même temps la Corée du Nord effectue des tirs de missiles à courte portée(le tout dans le contexte difficile imposé par le président russe : Vladimir Poutine). Je tiens aussi à faire remarquer que la personnalité de Kim Jong Nam (demi frère de Kim Jong Eun) est de plus en plus mal vu à Pyongyang. Le pourvoir en RPDC se recentrerait alors autour des proches biologiques de Kim Jong Eun ?

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Le concert en question (illustrations en provenance de l’agence de presse de Corée du Sud: Yonhap News)

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Le bureau 54 : de là est partie la purge de Jang Sung Thaek ?

Le bureau 54 était à la base une institution qui était sous le contrôle de Jang Sung Thaek. La marionnette de Jang Sung Thaek au sein de ce bureau n’était d’autre que Jang Su Kil, décédé en novembre 2013. Le bureau 54 était responsable de l’approvisionnement de l’APC en essences et autres matières premières. Le responsable du parti à la tête du bureau 54 était Ri Yong Ha.

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Communiqué du Comité électoral central

 

Ko Yo Jong

Kim yo Jong: la soeur de Kim Jong Eun – source: TV Yonhap

Le Comité électoral central pour les élections des députés à la 13e Législature de l’Assemblée Populaire Suprême (APS) de la RPD de Corée a publié le 5 mars un communiqué que voici:

Dans sa lettre ouverte à tous les électeurs du pays, Kim Jong Un a publié qu’il a décidé de se faire enregistrer comme candidat à la députation de la 13e Législature de l’APS de la RPD de Corée à la circonscription électorale No 111 de Paektusan.

Puis toutes les autres circonscriptions électorales du pays ont effectué avec succès selon les règlements de la loi sur les élections des députés aux assemblées populaires à tous les échelons la recommandation et l’enregistrement des candidats à la députation de la 13e Législature de l’APS.

Kim Jong Eun a également voté. Il a effectué son devoir de citoyen nord-coréen en présence de son plus proche conseiller: Kim Kyong Ok et de sa soeur Ko Yo Jong, officier militaire et emplyé administrative au sein du département de l’Organisation et de la Direction du PTC CC. Elle travaille également au sein du Bureau de la Sécurité Personnelle de Kim Jong Eun.

 

 

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Why nothing happened to Choe Ryong Hae ?

Recently, South Korean medias, announced that Choe Ryong Hae, the director of the powerful Political Bureau of the Korean Peopleąs Armz disappeared from the Political Scene. According to other sources, it rather seems that Choe Ryong Hae is alive, he’s however out of the scene for systemic reasons.

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Choe Ryong Hae

First overall, those who are the most important in the North Korean system are people who are very often unknown. I’m thinking to persons belonging to the Personnal Secretariat of Kim Jong Eun and to the Deputy Directors of 3 departments:

– The Organization and Leadership Department

– The Propaganda and Agitation Department

– The Military Affairs Department

What I mean ? I do believe that important persons in the DPRK are not always on the top of the screen. Therefore it may means that Choe Ryong Hae may continue to play a role from behind.

I do also firmly believe that the core DPRK elites are switching their positions by rotation. Observing the DPRK leadership (such as Kwak Pom Gi), it can be noticed that people are very often changing their positions. It’s done not only to weak their positions in some structures but also in order to increase their competencies. The previous mentioned Kwak Pom Gi was a manager of companies, a former KWP regional secretariat and currently he’s one of the key economists of the DPRK, I may also quote of of my favorite DPRK elites who is rarely seen: O Su Yong. O Su Yong is rarely seen in public but he’s one of the tenors of the DPRK economy.

o su yong

O Su Yong

I also think that the fact  that Choe Ryong Hae is not visible is also a measure of the Propaganda Department which want to enlight/reinforce the position of Kim Jong Eun as a key leader of the DPRK. The absence of Choe Ryong Hae  is underlining the power of the 32 years old Kim Jong Eun.

In a few words: Choe Ryong Hae is safe: don’t worry:)