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Kim Yong-chun (4 March 1936 – 16 August 2018) was a
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...
n soldier and politician. He was a leader of the North Korean military. He held the North Korean military rank Chasu (Vice Marshal), was Vice Chairman of the National Defense Commission of North Korea, and was Minister of People's Armed Forces (roughly corresponds to
Minister of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...
in other countries). He held a minor post within the Workers Party.


Early life

Kim was born in 1936 in Pochon County, Kankyōnan-dō,
Korea, Empire of Japan From 1910 to 1945, Korea was ruled by the Empire of Japan under the name Chōsen (), the Japanese reading of "Joseon". Japan first took Korea into its sphere of influence during the late 1800s. Both Korea (Joseon) and Japan had been under polic ...
(now in
Ryanggang Province Ryanggang Province (Ryanggangdo; , ) is a Administrative divisions of North Korea, province in North Korea. The province is bordered by China (Jilin) to the north, North Hamgyong to the east, South Hamgyong to the south, and Chagang to the west. ...
, North Korea). He attended the Mangyongdae Revolutionary School and the
Kim Il Sung Military University Kim Il Sung Military University (also known as Kim Il Sung Military Academy) is a university located in Mangyongdae-guyok, Pyongyang, capital of North Korea. Founded in 1948 and named after Kim Il Sung, founder of North Korea, the school is a po ...
before starting his career in the party apparatus and the
Korean People's Army The Korean People's Army (KPA; ) encompasses the combined military forces of North Korea and the armed wing of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). The KPA consists of five branches: the Korean People's Army Ground Force, Ground Force, the Ko ...
.


Career

He served as secretary of the South
Pyongyang Pyongyang () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is sometimes labeled as the "Capital of the Revolution" (). Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. Accordi ...
Provincial Committee of the
Workers' Party of Korea The Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), also called the Korean Workers' Party (KWP), is the sole ruling party of North Korea. Founded in 1949 from a merger between the Workers' Party of North Korea and the Workers' Party of South Korea, the WPK is ...
in the 1960s and was elected alternate member of the WPK Central Committee in 1980 at the 6th Party Congress. In 1986 he was elevated to Central Committee full member, director of the KPA General Staff Operations Bureau and deputy to the
Supreme People's Assembly The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA; ) is the legislature of North Korea. It is ostensibly the highest organ of state power and the only branch of government in North Korea, with all state organs subservient to it under the principle of unified ...
. He was abruptly purged in 1988 along with Chief of General Staff O Kuk-ryol for disputes with O Jin-u.VMAR Kim Yong Chun
North Korea Leadership Watch. Accessdate: 2018-08-21 Kim Yong-chun reappeared in the 1990s as he was promoted to
general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
and director of the General Munitions Mobilization Bureau. He also oversaw the disbandment of the North Hamgyong Province's Sixth Army Corps, accused of corruption. In 1995, after O Jin-u's death, he was promoted to Vice Marshal and Chief of the KPA General Staff, a post he held until 2007, when he was appointed a vice-chairman of the National Defence Commission. Kim Yong-chun was reputedly close to
Kim Jong Il Kim Jong Il (born Yuri Kim; 16 February 1941 or 1942 – 17 December 2011) was a North Korean politician who was the second Supreme Leader (North Korean title), supreme leader of North Korea from Death and state funeral of Kim Il Sung, the de ...
and a member of his court of aides. He received new promotions in 2009 as Minister of People's Armed Forces and in 2010 as member of the Politburo and the
Central Military Commission Central Military Commission may refer to: *Central Military Commission (China), the highest national defense organization in the People's Republic of China. *Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the highest body in Vietnam ...
. In December 2011, after the leader's death, he was ranked 5th among members of the Kim Jong Il funeral committee, immediately after
Kim Jong Un Kim Jong Un (born 8 January 1983 or 1984) is a North Korean politician and dictator who has served as supreme leader of North Korea since 2011 and general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012. He is the third son of Kim ...
and the Politburo Presidium members ( Kim Yong-nam, Choe Yong-rim and Ri Yong-ho), signalling his powerful position in the new leadership. He was replaced as Minister by Kim Jong-gak and appointed director of the WPK Civil Defense Department in April 2012. Although displaced from all significant leading posts, he was awarded the largely honorary rank of Marshal of the Korean People's Army in April 2016.


Death

Kim Yong-chun died on 16 August 2018 from
myocardial infarction A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
, aged 82. Many notable figures were involved on his funeral committee, including Kim Jong-un and Kim Yong-nam.


Awards and honors

A frame with Kim's awards and honors was displayed during his funeral, showing all the decorations he had received. Hero of the Republic Order of Kim Il Sung, twice Order of Kim Jong Il Order of the National Flag First Class, eight times Order of Korean Labour, twice Commemorative Order "Anniversary of the Foundation of the People's Army", twice Commemorative Order "20th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea", twice Commemorative Order "Foundation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea", twice Order of the National Flag Second Class, twice Order of Freedom and Independence Second Class Commemorative Order "50th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea", twice Order of the Red Banner of Three Great Revolutions Commemorative Order "40th Anniversary of Fatherland Liberation War Victory" Order of the National Flag Third Class, three times Medal For Military Merit, twice Commemorative Medal "Fatherland Liberation" Commemorative Medal "The Foundation of the People's Republic of Korea", twice He also received multiple watches signed with Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il's signature.


References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Yong-Chun 1936 births 2018 deaths North Korean generals Defence ministers of North Korea People from Ryanggang Province Members of the 6th Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea Members of the 6th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea Burials at the Patriotic Martyrs' Cemetery