Shovel Instead of Gun... Kim Jong-gwan Appointed as North Korean Minister of People's Armed Forces

North Korean Media Officially Confirms Promotion Rumors by Name
Military Mobilization Presumed to Contribute to Tourist Site Development Success
Former Minister Lee Jong-seok: "Kim Jong-un's Merit-Based Personnel Policy"

North Korea appointed Kim Jong-gwan as a candidate member of the Political Bureau through the 5th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party, held from the 28th to the 31st, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 1st. The photo, released on the Central News Agency's website on the same day, shows Kim Jong-gwan wearing a military uniform with the rank insignia of a Daejang (four stars).

North Korean media officially confirmed on the 22nd the appointment of General Kim Jong-gwan as the new Minister of the People's Armed Forces. Kim Jong-gwan is known for mobilizing the military to lead construction and development projects in tourist areas, achieving notable results. This appointment is seen as reflecting Kim Jong-un's principle of 'merit-based personnel management.'

North Korean media, including the Korean Central News Agency, reported on the same day that "a meeting of workers (cadres) in the field of forest restoration and national environmental protection was held on the 21st at the People's Palace of Culture," introducing Kim Jong-gwan as the "Minister of the People's Armed Forces, Army General."

This is the first time that North Korean media has formally referred to Kim Jong-gwan as the Minister of the People's Armed Forces. Until mid-November last year, Kim Jong-gwan was introduced as a Vice Minister of the Ministry of People's Armed Forces and a Lieutenant General (two stars).

The personnel change of the Minister of the People's Armed Forces, who is called one of the "top three leaders of the North Korean military" along with the Director of the General Political Bureau and the Chief of the General Staff, appears to have taken place at the expanded 3rd meeting of the 7th Central Military Commission of the Party, presided over by Chairman Kim Jong-un on December 22 (based on the reporting date), prior to the plenary session.

At that time, North Korean media stated that "some members of the Central Military Commission of the Party were summoned and replaced," and that "organizational matters (personnel) regarding the dismissal and transfer (reassignment) of some commanding officers of the armed forces and corps commanders, as well as new appointments, were handled," but did not provide specific personnel details.

Kim Jong-gwan's promotion is believed to be due to his contributions in leading major facility construction projects since Kim Jong-un's rise to power, including directing the construction of the Wonsan Kalma and Yangdok Hot Spring tourist areas.

Kim Jong-gwan's promotion is evaluated as demonstrating Chairman Kim's merit-based personnel principle. Former Minister of Unification Lee Jong-seok cited Kim Jong-gwan's case during a Ministry of Unification press briefing held at the Seoul Government Complex on the 20th, saying, "Kim Jong-un's personnel style shows meritocracy."

Lee said, "Kim Jong-gwan was a two-star general who mobilized the military to lead construction sites in the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist district, and he became the Minister of the People's Armed Forces," adding, "He was promoted because he was a commander who worked hard on construction sites and showed results."

Meanwhile, the meeting on forest restoration and national environmental protection on the same day attracted attention as major Party and government officials from related sectors, including Premier Kim Jae-ryong, Vice Chairman of the Workers' Party Kim Tok-hun, and Deputy Premier Ri Ryong-nam, attended in large numbers.

This is seen as a continuation of North Korea's emphasis on forest greening and environmental protection policies under the Kim Jong-un regime.

The meeting reportedly discussed "the analysis and summary of achievements and lessons from last year's forest restoration battle and the nationwide mobilization project for land management, as well as countermeasures to achieve substantial progress in this year's work."

It also pointed out "biases" that appeared in the sector last year, emphasizing "raising the level of scientific, industrial, and intensive production of seedlings at mother nurseries across the country, developing forest science and technology, and continuing to strengthen forest creation and protection management projects."

Participants also stressed "giving due attention to education and scientific research projects to solve natural and environmental protection issues in our own way, and strengthening supervision and control over phenomena that damage the ecological environment and hinder environmental protection in relevant units."