North Korea, focusing on expanding its sports initiatives after lifting COVID-19 restrictions, recently held a National Sports Guidance Committee meeting overseeing its sports programs. During the session, it was belatedly confirmed that at least two vice-premier-level officials were appointed deputy chairpersons of the committee.
The Workers’ Party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported Thursday that “the 77th meeting of the National Sports Guidance Committee was held on Wednesday.” The report noted that “committee members discussed and reviewed the progress of projects carried out from August to October 2024 and outlined future directions.”
While specific details of the meeting were not disclosed, discussions likely focused on expanding sports-related initiatives. This assumption is based on North Korea’s recent successes in international competitions, including their victory in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and gold medal wins at the Youth Boxing Championships.
North Korea has also been consistently winning gold medals at the World Weightlifting Championships, a fact they have been heavily promoting domestically.
Additionally, the committee is believed to have discussed participation in upcoming events such as the 2024 Harbin Winter Asian Games and the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
The newspaper reported that Kim Tok Hun, the National Sports Guidance Committee chairman, presided over the meeting. Other relevant officials attended, including deputy cabinet chairpersons Comrades Park Jong Gun and Kim Myung Hoon, Minister of Sports Kim Il Guk, committee members, etc.
In recent reports, North Korean media mentioned Kim Sung Ryong and Park Jong Gun as deputy chairpersons of the National Sports Guidance Committee. Kim Myung Hoon’s appearance at this meeting suggests that more than two current vice-premiers have been appointed to these positions.
The National Sports Guidance Committee was established in 2012 under General Secretary Kim Jong Un’s leadership to build a sports powerhouse. Since its inception, high-ranking officials, including Workers’ Party department heads, have been consistently appointed to key positions.
The committee’s status has risen significantly, especially since 2023, when it was first confirmed that the Premier of the Cabinet also serves as the chair of the National Sports Guidance Committee. This development highlights North Korea’s approach to managing sports initiatives as part of its national economic strategy.
