Kim Yong-chol | |
|---|---|
| 김영철 | |
 Kim in January 2019 | |
| Head of theUnited Front Department of the Workers' Party of Korea | |
| In office 2021 – 11 June 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Jang Kum Chol |
| Succeeded by | Ri Son-gwon |
| In office 4 January 2016 – 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Kim Yang-gon |
| Succeeded by | Jang Kum Chol |
| Vice Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea | |
| In office 9 May 2016 – 10 January 2021 | |
| Chairman | Kim Jong-un |
| Preceded by | Hwang Pyong-so |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Director of the Reconnaissance General Bureau | |
| In office 11 February 2009 – 4 January 2016 | |
| Supreme Leader | Kim Jong-il Kim Jong-un |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Pak Yong-sik(Acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1946 (age 78–79) Ryanggang Province,Soviet occupied Korea |
| Political party | Workers' Party of Korea |
| Education | Kim Il-sung Military University Red Flag Mangyongdae Revolutionary School |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  North Korea |
| Branch/service |  Korean People's Army |
| Rank | .svg){kind=icon} General |
| Korean name | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | 김영철 |
| Hancha | 金英徹 |
| Revised Romanization | Gim Yeong-cheol |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim Yŏng-ch'ŏl |
Kim Yong-chol (Korean: 김영철; born 1946[1]) is a North Korean general and politician.
From February 2009 to January 2016 he was the director of theReconnaissance General Bureau, the country's primary intelligence service.[2] From 2016 to 2019, and again from 2021 to 2022, he served as the head of theUnited Front Department of the Workers' Party of Korea. He also served as thevice chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea for South Korean affairs from 2016 to 2021.
Kim Yong-chol was born in 1946 inRyanggang Province.[1]
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In 1962 he served in the 15th Division, a civil police company guarding theKorean Demilitarized Zone. In 1968 he was appointed a liaison officer to theUnited Nations Command, Military Armistice Commission, Korea. In 1976, he was made a division commander of theSupreme Guard Command. In 1990 he was promoted to major general and became deputy director of theMinistry of People's Armed Forces and director of the MPAF Reconnaissance Bureau. In 1998 he was elected as a deputy to the 10thSupreme People's Assembly and again in 2003 to the 11th.
In 2009, he was appointed director of theReconnaissance General Bureau and Vice-Chief of theGeneral Staff Department of the Korean People's Army. He was also elected as a deputy to the 12thSupreme People's Assembly. In 2010, he was promoted to Colonel-General and elected to theCentral Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea and the 6thCentral Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. He was a member of the funeral committee ofJo Myong-rok. In 2011, he was a member of the funeral committee ofKim Jong-il.
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Arrival of Kim Yong-chol at the White House, June 1, 2018,C-SPAN |
In 2012 he was promoted to general. In 2014, he was elected as a deputy to the 13thSupreme People's Assembly and served on the funeral committee ofJon Pyong-ho.
In May 2016, he was elected to the 7thCentral Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. He was elected as a member of thePolitburo of the Workers' Party of Korea, theCentral Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea and as Vice-Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea. He was appointed director of theUnited Front Department and served on the funeral committees ofKang Sok-ju andRyu Mi-yong, and he was elected to the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly.[3]
Kim was sent as part of North Korea's Olympic delegation to the closing ceremony of the2018 Winter Olympics held on 24 February 2018. His presence was controversial, mostly due to allegations that Kim was responsible for orchestratingan attack on a South Korean naval ship in 2010 that killed 46 sailors. An article in theHangook Ilbo warned that Kim's attendance could send "raging waves" throughout the Korean Peninsula, but the games closed without incident.[4]
On 30 May 2018, Kim flew toNew York City viaChina for talks withUnited States Secretary of StateMike Pompeo regarding the2018 North Korea–United States summit. He was hosted at a residential facility of the US delegation to theUnited Nations for highly "private" conversations with US counterparts.[5] He then visited theWhite House for talks with the US President,Donald Trump on 1 June. During this meeting, he delivered a letter to Trump fromKim Jong-un.[6] Because he is subject to US sanctions, the visit required a travel waiver.[7]
On 24 April 2019,Yonhap News Agency reported that North Korea has removed Kim Yong-chol from the head of the United Front Department.[8]
In July 2020, it was reported that Kim Yong-chol was mentioned in aRodong Sinmun article in relation to North-South communications working withKim Yo-jong.[9] Also prior to the article on 24 June 2020, Kim Yong-chol condemned remarks by the South Korean defence minister when he called for "mutual efforts" to reduce tensions between the two Koreas.[10]
In June 2023, he was appointed an adviser of the United Front Department.[11]
A picture of Kim shows him wearing the ribbons to all decorations awarded to him.[12]
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