The list of newly elected leadership for the 9th Central Committee of North Korea’s Workers’ Party notably excludes Choe Ryung-hae, who has been considered the regime’s official second-in-command under Kim Jong Un. On Monday, speculation emerged that Choe may have retired from his front-line position as part of a generational shift.
Rodong Sinmun, the party’s official newspaper, published the roster of newly elected members and alternate members of the Central Committee on February 22, the fourth day of the 9th Party Congress. These individuals will form the leadership core, influencing major party decisions for the next five years until the subsequent congress.
The published list reveals that under General Secretary Kim, most key senior officials from the previous 8th Central Committee remain, including Prime Minister Pak Thae-song, Party Secretary Jo Yong-won, and Party Secretary Ri Il-hwan.
This congress saw the election of 138 individuals as Central Committee members and 111 as alternate members, mirroring the numbers from the 8th Party Congress.
Choe was appointed Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, North Korea’s equivalent to a parliament, in April 2019. His ascension continued in January 2021 with his appointment to the Politburo’s Standing Committee, the Workers’ Party’s highest body, solidifying his position as second only to Kim in the official hierarchy.
Choe is the son of Choi Hyun, a former Minister of People’s Armed Forces who fought alongside Kim Il Sung in the anti-Japanese guerrilla campaign. Choi, recognized as one of North Korea’s founding figures, was posthumously honored as a revolutionary martyr. The regime recently underscored his historical significance by naming its first new 5,000-ton destroyer the Choi Hyun.