Hwang Pyong-so

Hwang has probably spent most of his career in the Organization and Guidance Department (OGD), gaining reputation as the organization's éminence grise.{{Cite web |title=How the world misunderestimated Kim Jong Un |last=Foster-Carter |first=Aidan |work=NK News |date=8 October 2018 |access-date=9 October 2018 |url= https://www.nknews.org/2018/10/how-the-world-misunderestimated-kim-jong-un/ }} In September 2010, Hwang was appointed an alternate member of the Party Central Committee, holding the position of deputy head of the OGD since the early 2000s with a military and security portfolio. In March 2014 he was elected to the Supreme People's Assembly during the 2014 SPA election; during the same month, he was identified as the first vice-director of the party organization department.{{Cite web |title=Hwang Pyong So (Hwang Pyo'ng-so') |work=North Korea Leadership Watch |date=2 July 2014 |access-date=9 October 2018 |url= https://nkleadershipwatch.wordpress.com/leadership-biographies/hwang-pyong-so-hwang-pyong-so/ }}

On April 28, 2014 Korean Central News Agency reported that the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea and National Defense Commission promoted Hwang to the rank of vice marshal in the Korean People's Army (KPA) on April 26. He was first seen wearing the four stars of a full general on April 15, meaning he moved up two ranks – from colonel general in a short time. In an April 27 KCNA report on an artillery drill, Hwang was referred to for the first time as a member of the party Central Military Commission.[http://www.nknews.org/2014/04/hwang-pyong-so-promoted-to-vice-marshal-elevated-in-party/ Hwang Pyong So promoted to Vice-Marshal, elevated in Party, NK News, April 28, 2014] Later on May 1 he was revealed to be the new chief of the General Political Bureau of the KPA, considered the most senior position in the military after the supreme commander. On September 25 he also replaced former No. 2 Choe Ryong-hae in his last military capacity as first vice-chairman of the National Defence Commission, retaining the position as the NDC was transformed into the State Affairs Commission on 29 June 2016. On 18 February 2015 he was elevated to the top Presidium during a Politburo meeting. Hwang Pyong-so is seen as a key aide to Kim Jong Un.

Hwang is widely reported to have been a university classmate of Kim's aunt Kim Kyong-hui and reportedly maintained close ties with Kim Jong Un's mother Ko Yong-hui.[http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?num=11813&cataId=nk00100 Hwang Pyong So Elevated to Vice Marshal, Daily NK, April 28, 2014]

Hwang's appearance at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Asian Games in the absence of Kim Jong Un, and his subsequent trip to South Korea, led to speculation in the Western press about his role within the North Korean government.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/08/kim-jong-un-north-korea-coup|title=Kim Jong-un: has the North Korean dynasty fallen?|author=Christopher Green|work=The Guardian|date=8 October 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/05/has-north-korea-s-kim-jong-un-been-toppled.html|title=Has North Korea's Kim Jong Un Been Toppled?|author=Gerdon G. Chang|date=5 October 2014|newspaper=The Daily Beast}}

In November 2017, according to South Korean intelligence, Hwang was facing unspecified punishment.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-politics-analysis/once-inside-kim-jong-uns-inner-circle-top-aides-star-fades-idUSKBN1DL15H|title = Once inside Kim Jong Un's inner circle, top aide's star fades|newspaper = Reuters|date = 21 November 2017|last1 = Smith|first1 = Hyonhee Shin}} On 9 February 2018, North Korean media confirmed that Hwang Pyong-so had been replaced by Kim Jong-gak as the Director of the General Political Bureau of the KPA.{{Cite web | title = North Korea confirms dismissal of top military general | work = Channel NewsAsia | date = 9 February 2018 | access-date = 2018-02-09 | url = https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/north-korea-confirms-dismissal-of-top-military-general-9944512 | archive-date = 2018-02-10 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180210062150/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/north-korea-confirms-dismissal-of-top-military-general-9944512 }} Hwang was soon rehabilitated, reappearing in public in February 2018.{{Cite web|url=http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2018/02/15/0200000000AEN20180215007100320.html|title = Yonhap News Agency}}

In December 2018, the South Korean Ministry of Unification reported that Hwang held the post of First Vice-chairman of the Organization and Guidance Department.{{cite news|url=https://www.nknews.org/2018/12/north-korean-leadership-shakeups-revealed-in-latest-mou-reference-book-release|title=North Korean leadership shakeups revealed in latest MOU reference book release|first=Colin|last=Zwirko|publisher=NK News|date=28 December 2018}}

A picture of Hwang shows him wearing the ribbons to all decorations awarded to him.{{Cite web |date=2017-12-20 |title=Mystery over disappearance of North Korea's 'second most powerful man' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/hwang-pyong-so-north-korea-disappear-second-powerful-man-leader-kim-jong-un-a8111891.html |access-date=2023-01-10 |website=The Independent |language=en}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Director of the KPA General Political Bureau|years=2014–2018}}

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Category:North Korean generals

Category:1949 births

Category:Members of the Supreme People's Assembly

Category:Living people

Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

Category:Alternate members of the 6th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea

Category:Members of the 6th Presidium of the Workers' Party of Korea

Category:Members of the 7th Presidium of the Workers' Party of Korea

Pyong-so