Who are the 3 military officials following Kim Jong Un?

Three high-ranking North Korean officials are known to be closely accompanying their new leader Kim Jong Un on his military inspection tours.

They are Kim Myong Guk, director of the operations department at the North Korean People`s Army, Kim Won Hong, vice director of the general political bureau of the army, and Lt. Gen. Ri Du Song. The three figures accompanied Kim Jong Un when he visited military bases Thursday and Sunday.

Kim Myong Guk is considered one of the figures behind the March 2010 attack on the South Korean naval vessel Cheonan. He was demoted in November 2009 in the wake of the North’s defeat in an inter-Korean sea clash, but returned to the same post in April 2010 and was apparently promoted due to the attack on the Cheonan, according to experts. In November 2010, Kim Myong Guk also accompanied Kim Jong Un and his father Kim Jong Il when they toured bases in South Hwanghae Province shortly before North Korea shelled Yeonpyeong Island of South Korea.

Kim Won Hong is reportedly helping Kim Jong Un control the military after having been promoted to vice director of the general political bureau of the North Korean People`s Army in February 2009. This came shortly after the North began preparing for the hereditary power transfer. Kim Won Hong was promoted in April 2009 to chief of the army and appointed to the Central Military Commission in 2010 by the ruling Workers` Party.

The position and career of Ri Du Song are unknown, but he is apparently in charge of propaganda and public relations, according to South Korean intelligence. Given his promotion to lieutenant general from major general in September 2010, when Kim Jong Un was called general, Ri was chosen to defend the then heir apparent.

will71@donga.com