Ministry of National Defence (North Korea)

Until December 1972, the Minister of the People's Armed Forces was called the Minister of National Defence (민족보위상).{{Cite web | title = The unusual history of North Korea's military foundation day | last = Tertitskiy | first = Fyodor | work=NK News | date = 7 February 2018 | accessdate = 10 February 2018 | url = https://www.nknews.org/2018/02/the-unusual-history-of-north-koreas-military-foundation-day/ }} It then changed to the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces.

Prior to 1992, it was under the direct control of supreme commander and president, with guidance from the National Defence Commission and the Workers' Party Central Military Commission. The 1992 amendment to the Constitution of North Korea shifts its control to the National Defence Commission. The 2016 amendment shifted its control to the State Affairs Commission.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} It was renamed to the Ministry of National Defense in October 2020.{{Cite web |title=북한정보포털 {{!}} 북한 지식사전(2021) |url=https://nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr/nkp/knwldg/view/knwldg.do;jsessionid=0XAuCNDZNMlNZ5faLxMsXDG_4cItQ3N3JE8v2h7S.ins22?menuId=NK_KNWLDG_DICARY&knwldgNo=127#:~:text=2016%EB%85%84%205%EC%9B%94%20%EC%A0%9C,'%EA%B5%AD%EB%B0%A9%EC%84%B1'%EC%9C%BC%EB%A1%9C%20%EB%B0%94%EB%80%8C%EC%97%88%EB%8B%A4. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240528150539/https://nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr/nkp/knwldg/view/knwldg.do;jsessionid=0XAuCNDZNMlNZ5faLxMsXDG_4cItQ3N3JE8v2h7S.ins22?menuId=NK_KNWLDG_DICARY&knwldgNo=127#:~:text=2016%EB%85%84%205%EC%9B%94%20%EC%A0%9C,'%EA%B5%AD%EB%B0%A9%EC%84%B1'%EC%9C%BC%EB%A1%9C%20%EB%B0%94%EB%80%8C%EC%97%88%EB%8B%A4. |archive-date=28 May 2024 |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr |language=ko |url-status=live }}

The Ministry of Defence is essentially an umbrella agency gathering the KPA's logistical, political, and personnel components.{{cite web|url=https://www.38north.org/2018/07/mmadden070318/|title=38 North Special Report: Recent Changes in Kim Jong Un's High Command|website=38 North|date=3 July 2018 |access-date=3 November 2021}} The ministry also has departments which coordinate relations with foreign militaries, as well as regulating Government-owned corporations related to the defence industry and other foreign currency earning ventures.

The ministry, through the General Staff Department is responsible for the daily operational planning and management of the KPA's ground, naval, and air commands. It develops strategy, conducts education and training, conveys the orders and guidance of the KPA Supreme Command and completes certain signals intelligence tasks.

The Ministry of National Defence contains the following departments:{{Cite book | isbn = 9780160814228 | title = North Korea: A Country Study | editor1-last = Worden | editor1-first = Robert L. | year = 2008 | publisher = Library of Congress, Federal Research Division | page = [https://archive.org/details/northkoreacountr0000unse/page/242 242] | url = https://archive.org/details/northkoreacountr0000unse/page/242 }}

• General Political Bureau
• General Staff Department
• Security Command

Both the Director of the General Political Bureau and Chief of the General Staff have more power than the Minister.

{{Officeholder table start

| showorder = y

| showimage = y

| image_title = Portrait

| officeholder_title = Minister

| showtermlenght = y

| showparty = n

| showdefencebranch = y

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 1

| image = 崔庸健 최용건.jpg

| military_rank = Vice Marshal

| officeholder = Choe Yong-gon
최용건

| officeholder_sort = Yong-gon, Choe

| born_year = 1900

| died_year = 1976

| term_start = September 1948

| term_end = September 1957

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1948|09|1|1957|09|1}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 2

| image =

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Kim Kwang-hyop
김광협

| officeholder_sort = Kwang-hyop, Kim

| born_year = 1915

| died_year = 1970

| term_start = September 1957

| term_end = October 1962

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1957|09|1|1962|10|1}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 3

| image =

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Kim Chang-bong
김창봉

| officeholder_sort = Chang-bong, Kim

| born_year =

| died_year =

| term_start = October 1962

| term_end = December 1968

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1962|10|1|1968|12|1}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 4

| image = 최현.JPG

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Choe Hyon
최현

| officeholder_sort = Hyon, Choe

| born_year = 1907

| died_year = 1982

| term_start = December 1968

| term_end = May 1976

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1968|12|1|1976|05|1}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 5

| image =

| military_rank = Marshal

| officeholder = O Jin-u
오진우

| officeholder_sort = Jin-u, O

| born_year = 1917

| died_year = 1995

| term_start = May 1976

| term_end = February 1995

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1976|05|1|1995|02|1}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 6

| image =

| military_rank = Marshal

| officeholder = Choe Kwang
최광

| officeholder_sort = Kwang, Choe

| born_year = 1918

| died_year = 1997

| term_start = October 1995

| term_end = February 1997

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1995|10|1|1997|02|1}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 7

| image = Kim Il-chol as the Commander of the Korean People's Navy.jpg

| military_rank = Vice Marshal

| officeholder = Kim Il-chol
김일철

| officeholder_sort = Il-chol, Kim

| born_year = 1933

| died_year = 2023

| term_start = February 1997

| term_end = February 2009

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1997|02|1|2009|02|1}}

| defence_branch = {{navy|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 8

| image =

| military_rank = Vice Marshal

| officeholder = Kim Yong-chun
김영춘

| officeholder_sort = Yong-chun, Kim

| born_year = 1936

| died_year = 2018

| term_start = February 2009

| term_end = April 2012

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2009|02|1|2012|04|1}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 9

| image =

| military_rank = Vice Marshal

| officeholder = Kim Jong-gak
김정각

| officeholder_sort = Jong-gak, Kim

| born_year = 1941

| died_year =

| term_start = April 2012

| term_end = November 2012

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2012|04|1|2012|11|1}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 10

| image =

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Kim Kyok-sik
김격식

| officeholder_sort = Kyok-sik, Kim

| born_year = 1938

| died_year = 2015

| term_start = November 2012

| term_end = May 2013

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2012|11|1|2013|05|1}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 11

| image =

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Jang Jong-nam
장정남

| officeholder_sort = Jong-nam, Jang

| born_year =

| died_year =

| term_start = May 2013

| term_end = June 2014

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2013|05|1|2014|06|1}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 12

| image =

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Hyon Yong-chol
현영철

| officeholder_sort = Yong-chol, Hyon

| born_year = 1949

| died_year = 2015

| term_start = June 2014

| term_end = 12 May 2015

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2014|06|1|2015|05|12}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

|-style="text-align:center;"

|colspan=8|Unknown
(12 May 2015 – 11 July 2015)

|-

{{Officeholder table

| order = 13

| image =

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Pak Yong-sik
박영식

| officeholder_sort = Yong-sik, Pak

| born_year = 1950

| died_year =

| term_start = 11 July 2015

| term_end = 4 June 2018

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2015|07|11|2018|06|4}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 14

| image = No Kwang-chol, 2024.jpg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = No Kwang-chol
노광철

| officeholder_sort = Kwang-chol, No

| born_year = 1956

| died_year =

| term_start = 4 June 2018

| term_end = December 2019

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2018|06|4|2019|12|31}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 15

| image =

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Kim Jong-gwan
김정관

| officeholder_sort = Jong-gwan, Kim

| born_year =

| died_year =

| term_start = December 2019

| term_end = 29 September{{fact|date=January 2023}} 2021

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2019|12|31|2021|09|29}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 16

| image =

| military_rank = Vice Marshal

| officeholder = Ri Yong-gil
리영길

| officeholder_sort = Yong-gil, Ri

| born_year = 1955

| died_year =

| term_start = 29 September{{fact|date=January 2023}} 2021

| term_end = 31 December 2022

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2021|09|29|2022|12|31}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 17

| image = Kang Sun-nam 2023 (cropped).png

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Kang Sun-nam
강순남

| officeholder_sort = Sun-nam, Kang

| born_year =

| died_year =

| term_start = 31 December 2022{{cite web |title=조선로동당 중앙위원회 제8기 제6차전원회의 공보 |url=https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1672531464-298982113/%ec%a1%b0%ec%84%a0%eb%a1%9c%eb%8f%99%eb%8b%b9-%ec%a4%91%ec%95%99%ec%9c%84%ec%9b%90%ed%9a%8c-%ec%a0%9c8%ea%b8%b0-%ec%a0%9c6%ec%b0%a8%ec%a0%84%ec%9b%90%ed%9a%8c%ec%9d%98-%ea%b3%b5%eb%b3%b4 |website=KCNA Watch |access-date=1 January 2023}}

| term_end = 8 October 2024

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2022|12|31|2024|10|08}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 18

| image = No Kwang-chol, 2024.jpg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = No Kwang-chol
노광철

| officeholder_sort = Kwang-chol, No

| born_year = 1956

| died_year =

| term_start = 8 October 2024{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Haye-ah |date=9 October 2024 |title=N. Korea amends constitution at parliamentary meeting without disclosing details |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20241009000352315 |access-date=9 October 2024 |work=Yonhap News Agency}}

| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2024|10|08}}

| defence_branch = {{army|North Korea}}

}}

{{Officeholder table end}}

{{Portal bar|North Korea|Politics}}

• Commander-in-Chief of North Korea
• General Staff Department of the Korean People's Army
• General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army

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{{North Korean armed forces}}

{{Commanders of the Korean People's Army}}

North Korea

Category:Politics of North Korea

Category:Government of North Korea

Category:Military of North Korea

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