Ri Thae-sop
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{family name hatnote|Ri||lang=Korean}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Ri Thae-sop
| native_name = {{nobold|리태섭}}
| image =
| office = Minister of Social Security
| 1blankname = {{nowrap|Supreme Leader}}
| 1namedata = Kim Jong Un
| term_start = 28 December 2022
| term_end =
| term_start2 = December 2021
| term_end2 = June 2022
| predecessor2 = Jang Jong-nam
| successor2 = Park Su-il
| predecessor = Park Su-il
| successor = Incumbent
| office3 = Chief of the KPA General Staff
| 1blankname3 = {{nowrap|Supreme Leader}}
| 1namedata3 = Kim Jong Un
| term_start3 = June 2022
| term_end3 = 28 December 2022
| predecessor3 = Rim Kwang-il
| successor3 = Park Su-il
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| nationality = Korean
| citizenship = North Korean
| allegiance = {{flag|North Korea|1948}}
| branch = {{armed forces|North Korea}}
| party = Workers' Party of Korea
}}
{{Infobox Korean name
| hangul =리태섭
| hanja =李太夑
| rr =Ri Taeseop
| mr =Ri T'aesŏp
| koreanipa =
| context =north
}}
Ri Thae-sop ({{langx|ko|리태섭}}) is a North Korean politician and general. He served as Minister of Social Security and from June 2022 to December as Chief of the General Staff. He is also a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea. He served as Commander of the 5th Corps and Commander of the 7th Corps.
Biography
Ri's birthplace and date of birth are unknown. In April 2004, he was promoted to Major General of the Korean People's Army, and in September 2010, he was elected as a candidate member of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea at the 3rd party conference. Following the death of Kim Jong Il on December 17, 2011, was included as a member of the funeral commission. He was re-elected as a representative to the 13th convocation of the Supreme People's Assembly held on March 9, 2014, and was appointed as the commander of the 7th Corps as a Lieutenant General of the Korean People's Army, although the date of his appointment is unknown. He was re-elected as a member of the Central Committee 7th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea in May 2016.[http://www.nkleadershipwatch.org/leadership-biographies/ri-thae-sop-ri-tae-sop/ Biography of Ri Thae Sop at NK Leadership Watch]
He was re-elected as a deputy in the 14th election of the Supreme People's Assembly held in March 2019 and was present at the military parade commemorating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea held on October 10, 2020, marching with the 5th Corps column as a general.
He was re-elected as a member of the Central Committee at the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea held from January 5, 2021, and at the 4th plenary meeting of the 8th Party Central Committee held from December 27 of the same year, he was appointed Minister of Social Security and was elected as a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee.[https://www.38north.org/articles/affiliates/north-korea-leadership-watch/23617/ DPRK Gets a New Police Boss, 38 North][https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20220623000453325 N. Korea discusses revising operational plans of its front-line military units, Yonhap News Agency]
On June 11, 2022, at the 5th Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea he was promoted to Chief of the General Staff of the People's Army, replacing Rim Kwang-il.[https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2022/06/103_330817.html Kim urges stronger national defense; no new direct message on US, S. Korea] He was replaced in that position on December 28, 2022, by Park Su-il.{{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}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{S-start}}
{{S-off}}
{{S-bef|before=Park Su-il}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Social Security|years=28 December 2022 - Incumbent}}
{{s-inc}}
{{S-bef|before=Jang Jong-nam}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Social Security|years=December 2021–June 2022}}
{{s-aft|after=Park Su-il}}
{{s-mil}}
{{S-bef|before=Rim Kwang-il}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chief of the General Staff|years=June 2022–28 December 2022}}
{{s-aft|after= Park Su-il}}
{{S-end}}
{{Commanders of the Korean People's Army}}
{{North Korean generals}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ri, Thae-sop}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Members of the Supreme People's Assembly
Category:Workers' Party of Korea politicians
Category:Members of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea