In the North Korean State Affairs Commission, except for Kim Jong-un, who serves as chairman, five of the remaining 13 members have been removed from their posts, and the reshuffle has exceeded one-third. According to North Korea's Rodong Sinmun, nearly 700 people participated in

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2020-04-14 15:16

Comprehensive KCNA reported on the 12th and 13th that the Politburo meeting of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the 3rd meeting of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly of North Korea were held one after another. The news of personnel adjustments delivered at these two important meetings aroused great concern from the outside world. Kim Yo-jong, the sister of Kim Jong-un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the State Affairs Commission, was once again elected as a candidate member of the Politburo. In the North Korean State Affairs Commission, except for Kim Jong-un, who serves as chairman, five of the remaining 13 members have been removed from their posts, and the reshuffle has exceeded one-third.

KCNA stated in a press release that a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea was held on April 11 at the headquarters building of the Party Central Committee.

Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea attended the meeting.

(First from left: Park Zhengtian, newly appointed member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee)

reported that “organizational issues” were discussed at the meeting. The meeting by-elected Park Chung-cheon as a member of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee; Li Shanquan and Kim Yo-jung were by-elected as alternate members of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee.

(Kim Yo Jong is an alternate member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee)

(Ri Son Kwon is newly appointed as an alternate member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee)

At the 3rd meeting of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea held the next day, Foreign Minister Ri Son Kwon was also appointed to the State Affairs Council committee member.

(First from left: Newly appointed State Councilor Kim Hyung-joon)

(Newly appointed State Councilor Lee Byung-chul)

In addition, it is speculated to be Kim Hyung-joon, the vice chairman of the Workers’ Party of China in charge of international affairs, Ri Byeong-chul, the vice chairman of the Workers’ Party Central Committee in charge of armaments, and the People’s Security Minister Kim Jong-ho and People’s Armed Forces Minister Kim Jong-kwan are also on the list of state councilors.

(Kim Jong Kwan is newly appointed State Councilor)

At the same time, the meeting removed Ri Su Yong, the original vice chairman of the Workers’ Party in charge of international affairs, Tae Jong Soo, the original vice chairman of the Workers’ Party in charge of armaments, and former Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho from their posts as State Councilors. . The meeting did not mention Choe Son-hui, the First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. Based on this, it is speculated that Choe Son-hui is still among the State Councilors.

According to North Korea's "Rodong Sinmun" report, nearly 700 people participated in the meeting, most of whom did not wear masks or maintain appropriate "social distance."

Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Council, was absent from the meeting.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim Yo Jong was elected as an alternate member of the Politburo in 2017. After the second meeting between Vietnam, North Korea and the United States in February 2019 failed, he was removed from the Workers' Party at a plenary meeting in April. At that time, Kim Jong-un took a group photo with the 33 newly elected members of the Politburo, and Kim Yo-jong was the only one missing.

Some analysts at the time believed that the fruitless "Kim-Trump meeting" resulted in the stagnation of dialogue between North Korea and the United States. Many officials, including Kim Yo-jung, were blamed by Kim Jong-un and were therefore punished.

At the end of last year, North Korea carried out a large-scale personnel reorganization. Kim Yo Jong was appointed from the first deputy minister of the Propaganda and Agitation Department to the first deputy minister of the Workers’ Party, and then entered the core of the power of the Workers’ Party as the first deputy minister of the Organization and Guidance Department. In March of this year, he rarely spoke in his own name, criticizing South Korea's Blue House for the first time as the first deputy minister. It is speculated that she actually serves as Kim Jong-un's spokesperson.

Another analysis said that Kim Jong-un has once again carried out a large-scale reorganization of high-level officials, aiming to encourage party organizations, cadres and party members at all levels to work harder and set off a revolutionary upsurge to thoroughly implement the policies and guidelines of the Party Central Committee.

The entry of new faces in the military and diplomatic fields into the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee and the State Council may also mean that North Korea adheres to a hard line against the United States, but fails to achieve results, and then tries to find new breakthroughs by replacing people.

(Editor: You Wei)