Recent reports suggest that Chang Kom-chol, formerly the head of North Korea’s United Front Department responsible for South Korean affairs, may now also hold the position of First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs.
On Wednesday, multiple diplomatic sources informed The Hankyoreh that North Korea’s Foreign Ministry recently sent a diplomatic letter to foreign missions in Pyongyang. The letter identified Chang as both the First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and the director of the Workers’ Party’s 10th Bureau.
This communication was reportedly sent following the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party. During the congress held late last month, Chang was elected to the Party Central Committee. He also appeared on the presidium at the Foreign Affairs Research Council alongside Kim Song-nam, the Party’s International Affairs Secretary, and Choe Son-hui, the Foreign Minister.
Chang previously assumed the role of United Front Department head on April 10, 2019, succeeding Kim Yong-chol at the 4th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party.
Historically, the United Front Department was a crucial entity overseeing South Korea-related strategies and tactics. It managed inter-Korean dialogues, economic cooperation, and the collection and analysis of information pertaining to South Korea.
On June 13, 2020, Chang issued a statement criticizing the South Korean government’s handling of North Korean leaflets. He declared that trust in South Korean authorities had been shattered, suggesting that improving inter-Korean relations would be challenging.
This latest development appears to be part of North Korea’s restructuring of its South Korea-focused organizations. Kim Jong Un, the Party’s General Secretary, introduced a hostile two-state policy at the Party’s plenary meeting in late 2023, directing a reorganization of departments handling inter-Korean affairs. As a result, the former United Front Department was renamed the 10th Bureau and remained under the Party’s Central Committee. The recent restructuring seems to have incorporated it into the Foreign Ministry.
Senior figures known for their expertise on South Korea, including former Party 10th Bureau advisor Kim Yong-chol and deputy head Ri Son-gwon, stepped back from frontline roles during this Party Congress. Chang’s return appears to be aimed at filling this void.
The content of the recently dispatched letter suggests that the North Korean cabinet has reorganized its department responsible for South Korean affairs. North Korea abolished the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland during the 2024 Supreme People’s Assembly. Subsequently, its functions are believed to have been restructured under the Foreign Ministry.
The position of First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs has traditionally been held by key diplomatic figures involved in nuclear negotiations. Chang’s dual role is interpreted as a structural shift, indicating an intent to handle inter-Korean affairs within the diplomatic sphere.
A spokesperson for the South Korean Unification Ministry stated that they will continue to closely monitor related developments in collaboration with relevant agencies and organizations.