Why Choe Ryong Hae Remains ‘North Korea’s No. 2’ Despite Purge Rumors

Choe Ryong Hae, Chairman of the Standing Committee 
Excluded from the list of the National Defense Commission
Check on Jo Yong Won, the head of the Organization and Guidance Department

Recently, North Korea has been frequently showing military actions such as boasting about its military power and launching ballistic missiles. Amid such actions, attention is being drawn to Kim Jong Un, the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, and those around him who lead such actions.

Choe Ryong Hae, the second-in-command in North Korea, has assisted Kim Jong Un since his inauguration. Currently, he is serving as the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, which is considered the second highest position in North Korea. There was a time when Choe Ryong Hae was swept up in ‘purge rumors.’

In 2015, rumors began to circulate when Choe Ryong Hae, who was then a key figure in the Kim Jong Un regime, was left out of the list of the National Defense Commission, headed by Marshal Ri Ul Sol. At that time, North Korea announced that Choe Ryong Hae, who was one of the core powers of the Kim Jong Un regime and ranked sixth in the presidium at various official events in North Korea, was not included in the list of 170 members of the National Defense Commission, headed by Marshal of the KPA Ri Ul Sol.

Subsequently, one of the reasons Choe Ryong Hae was considered North Korea’s second-in-command was his performance as Kim Jong Un’s first secretary. There was a view that Choe Ryong Hae might also be purged soon because Hyon Yong Chol, who had served as Kim Jong Un’s first secretary before Choe Ryong Hae, was purged overnight.

Indeed, when Choe Ryong Hae was not seen in any of the photos released by North Korea for three months, rumors of his purge became widespread. However, when Choe Ryong Hae appeared giving a speech at the “70th Anniversary Celebration of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League” event after three months, it seemed as though the rumors of his purge were put to rest.

Choe Ryong Hae’s whereabouts during the missing three months have still not been revealed, and due to the three-month gap, it was predominantly assessed that Choe Ryong Hae had fallen out of favor with Kim Jong Un, leading to his exclusion from key positions.

Contrary to this view, it was reported that Choe Ryong Hae was appointed as the first deputy chairman of the State Affairs Commission as well as the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly at the first meeting of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly of North Korea in 2019. The State Affairs Commission in North Korea is considered one of the highest governmental bodies, directly overseen by Kim Jong Un.

The position of the first deputy chairman of the State Affairs Commission, which Choe Ryong Hae took over, was a position that had no precedent in North Korea’s system, and it was known that North Korea had created this new position by ‘amending and supplementing’ the constitution for Choe Ryong Hae. As a result, Choe Ryong Hae officially became the second-in-command in the state institutions following the Workers’ Party.

In addition, Choe Ryong Hae also took over the Chairmanship of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly. Until 2017, Choe Ryong Hae had been in charge of the Organization and Guidance Department of the party, which has control and personnel rights over all residents, including party executives and members, following the 2nd Plenary Meeting of the 7th Workers’ Party.

Choe Ryong Hae, a representative figure from a partisan background, is known for his excellent practical abilities and is evaluated as having firmly secured the position of North Korea’s second-in-command. In 1992, a group of officers who had studied abroad at the Frunze Academy in the North Korean military attempted a coup.

The officers who had studied abroad planned to execute the coup on April 25, 1992, when the 60th anniversary celebration of the founding of the Korean People’s Army was scheduled, but it failed due to leaked information. In this process, it was confirmed that Choe Ryong Hae’s entire family, except for Choe Ryong Hae himself, was purged when his brother-in-law was involved in the incident. Choe Ryong Hae was also known to have been virtually imprisoned for two months when the investigation began.

After exile to Rangrim County in Chagang Province due to the Yellow Incident of the Youth League in 1997, Choe Ryong Hae is known to have returned to Pyongyang six years later. During these six years, it is speculated that Choe Ryong Hae made a solemn commitment to serve the Kim family loyally.

The biggest reason why Choe Ryong Hae was able to return was his book “Revolutionary Experience” written during his six years in Rangrim County. It is said that Kim Jong Il liked this story so much that he distributed it to the central party executives and above ordering them to read it unconditionally.

After working as the Deputy Director of the Labor Party’s General Affairs Department for three years, Choe Ryong Hae was appointed as the Responsible Secretary (Governor) of the North Hwanghae Provincial People’s Committee in 2006. Given that Choe Ryong Hae holds the record for being the youngest among those who have held the position of responsible secretary of the party committee, it is speculated that he consolidated the trust of the leadership in the Kim family.

Choe Ryong Hae, who gained trust, left various achievements while serving as the Responsible Secretary of North Hwanghae Province. It is said that North Hwanghae Province has changed beyond recognition since Choe Ryong Hae took office.

Choe Ryong Hae’s miraculous life in North Hwanghae Province ended in just four years. As soon as the succession structure was set to Kim Jong Un, Kim Jong Il immediately called Choe Ryong Hae and gave him the title General. It is known that it was unusual for a civilian to receive the title of General, and it is known that he was envied and jealous by the existing powers in North Korea at the time.

After the launch of the Kim Jong Un regime, Choe Ryong Hae seemed to be on a roll as he took on critical positions. Choe Ryong Hae returned to Pyongyang from being the Responsible Secretary of North Hwanghae Province, and he worked in significant positions such as the Director of the General Political Bureau of the North Korean military and the head of the Organization and Guidance Department for two years. Notably, his appointment as Director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People’s Army while holding civilian status was particularly noteworthy. Choe Ryong Hae is known within North Korea for having wholly restructured the internal system while serving as Director of the General Political Bureau and head of the Organization and Guidance Department.

Meanwhile, Choe Ryong Hae, who has been taking the second-in-command position in North Korea with his groundbreaking actions, has been confirmed to be restrained by Jo Yong Won, now called ‘Kim Jong Un’s new shadow.’

Jo Yong Won is known as Kim Jong Un’s right-hand man and trusted confidant, holding various positions such as the Executive Member of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of North Korea, the Secretary of the Party Central Committee, the head of the Organization and Guidance Department, and a member of the State Affairs Commission.

Jo Yong Won is one of the new elites beloved by Kim Jong Un since the regime’s inauguration and often appears during Kim Jong Un’s on-site inspections. Jo Yong Won is also frequently seen assisting Kim Yo Jong and has established himself as a key figure in North Korea.

Recently, it has been reported that Jo Yong Won’s party control has increased, threatening Choe Ryong Hae’s position. Kim Jong Un, the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, is known to prefer a method of creating a competitive structure centered on the ruling elite, rather than giving power to a specific person, in order to induce policy achievements through mutual restraint.

With the power struggle between Choe Ryong Hae and Jo Yong Won shaping the dynamics, it is anticipated that North Korea’s regime might change. Each move made by them is closely watched for its potential impact on South Korea.