North Korean officials Kim Yong Chol and Ri Son Gwon, both responsible for South Korean affairs, were spotted attending the recent Workers’ Party plenary session. This meeting was held to evaluate the first half of the year and discuss policy directions for the second half, with a focus on addressing issues related to South Korea during the session.
From June 21 to 23, North Korea convened an expanded meeting of the 12th plenary session of the 8th Central Committee. The purpose was to assess the implementation of major national policies for the year and reaffirm the direction for the second half.
Photos published by the party’s newspaper Rodong Sinmun on Tuesday and footage from Korean Central Television revealed Kim Yong Chol, an advisor to the former United Front Department (now Party 10), and Ri Son Gwon, the department head, seated in the front row of the conference hall.
Their seating positions were just behind the Politburo standing committee members and full members who occupied the presidium alongside Kim Jong Un. These seats are typically reserved for members of the Politburo and heads of specialized party departments.
It appears Kim Yong Chol attended as a Politburo candidate member, while Ri Son Gwon participated in his capacity as a department head or bureau chief.
This suggests that, despite North Korea’s declaration of the two Koreas in December 2023 and the subsequent reduction in emphasis on South Korean affairs, the political status of these officials remains largely intact.
Kim Yong Chol and Ri Son Gwon, both former heads of the United Front Department, have been key figures in major inter-Korean dialogues for the past two decades. Kim Yong Chol, infamous for allegedly orchestrating the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan during his tenure as head of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, served as North Korea’s chief representative in the 2018 trilateral denuclearization talks. Ri Son Gwon oversaw South Korean affairs during the same period.
While Kim Yong Chol was once thought to have retired, he returned in June 2023 as an advisor to the United Front Department and a member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau. Ri Son Gwon is believed to continue leading the department even after its restructuring into Party 10.
However, due to deteriorating inter-Korean relations, their public activities have become rare. Ri Son Gwon has only made a few appearances at Chongryon-related events, including a commemorative event for the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan this year.
The fact that these officials maintain their previous status, despite the current situation, suggests that North Korea’s policy towards South Korea remains significant.
Notably, during the plenary session, North Korea held a separate Politburo meeting to review a draft resolution outlining policy directions for the second half of the year. Kim and Ri were not identified in this meeting, potentially indicating their exclusion from important decisions for the latter half of the year.
The presence of Kim Song Nam, head of the International Department and a member of the Politburo, further underscores the implications of the South Korean officials’ absence.
While North Korean media did not release photos of all attendees at the Politburo meeting, leaving open the possibility that Kim and Ri attended but were edited out, analysts suggest this still implies a reduced emphasis on South Korean affairs.
In contrast, during plenary sessions last June and December, North Korean media showcased Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, Kim Song Nam, Kim Yong Chol, and Ri Son Gwon presiding over various subcommittee meetings.
This time, however, they did not disclose whether there were discussions or decisions regarding South Korean or foreign affairs. They also withheld the content of Kim Jong Un’s important speech.
Should Kim Yong Chol and Ri Son Gwon increase their public activities or show involvement in major policy decisions as inter-Korean contact resumes, it could signal a shift in North Korea’s approach to South Korean affairs.