Rim Gwang Il to lead N. Korea’s overseas operations bureau

Rim Gwang Il, who was involved in the 2015 DMZ landmine blast, has been appointed to the head of the Reconnaissance General Bureau that overseas operations against South Korea and foreign countries, said the Ministry of Unification on Wednesday. Lim’s predecessor, Jang Gil Song took office in 2016 when then General Bureau chief Kim Yong Chol was appointed to the head of the United Front Department.

Lim Gwang Il, known to be a military hardliner, gained promotion after the landmine blast. The National Intelligence Service of South Korea reported in November 2015 that Lim was promoted from the head of the military training bureau to the head of the planning bureau for direct engagement in planting mines along the west side of the ceasefire line.

Kwak Chang Sik will take the place of Yun Jong Rin as the Supreme Guard commander who is responsible for protecting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and suppressing coups. It was confirmed that Kwak became a three-star general and a member of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea in a plenary meeting late last year, but no further details have been published.

Meanwhile, the South Korean government has drawn criticism for the untimely acquisition of the information as it said Kwak came to office in April 2019.


In-Chan Hwang hic@donga.com