Military leadership changes in North Korea include the dismissal of the defense minister
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made changes to the country’s military leadership, including the dismissal of Defense Minister No Kwang Chol. The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the “structural reorganization” decisions were taken during a meeting chaired last Saturday by Kim Jong Un. The agency added that No Kwang Chol was not only removed from his post as defense minister but also demoted within the ruling party’s leadership to become “First Deputy Director of the Munitions Industry Administration.”
Kim Sung Gye, director of the General Political Department of the Korean People’s Army, has been appointed as the new defense minister. Meanwhile, Defense Advisor Pak Jong Chun was appointed deputy chairman of the Central Military Commission of the ruling party and a member of the party’s Political Bureau, along with a series of other promotions.
Meanwhile, South Korea, the United States, and Japan plan to conduct joint trilateral exercises named “Freedom Edge” in the waters east and south of South Korea’s Jeju Island from September 7 to 11. The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul stated that “these exercises are an annual defensive training conducted by the three countries to counter North Korean nuclear and missile threats and to maintain peace and stability in the region.”
In a separate report, KCNA said that Kim praised scientists, researchers, and officials at a ceremony honoring their achievements in defense technology, where they were awarded the country’s highest national honors. The agency added that the honorees had made significant contributions to “solving scientific and technical problems of historical importance in the development of new combat weapon systems,” without specifying them. An image published by the agency showed Kim presenting an award to an individual.
It further stated that the state-run Weapons Research Center “recently developed exclusive technologies that represent a landmark in enhancing warfighting capabilities,” again without providing details. The agency noted that these technologies demonstrated “the unique developmental path of the country’s military and technological capabilities.”
The reshuffling of North Korea’s military leadership comes shortly after the conclusion of joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States.
