Kim Yong-ju
Encyclopedia
Kim Yong-ju is a North Korea
n politician and the younger brother of the country's former supreme leader Kim Il-sung
. He currently holds a ceremonial position as Honorary Vice President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly
, North Korea's parliament.
and Kang Pan-sŏk in Mangyŏngdae
in 1920, 8 years after his elder brother Kim Il-sung.
After studying economics at the Moscow State University
, where he also took a deep interest in philosophy
, Kim Yong-ju joined the Workers' Party of Korea
. His rise through the party's echelons was fast: from the 1950s to the 1960s he was chief cadre (1954), vice-director (1957) and finally director (1960) of the WPK Organization and Guidance Department, and he was appointed member of the WPK Central Committee
member at the Party's 4th Congress
in 1961. In 1966 he was promoted to Organizing Secretary of the WPK Central Committee.
In 1967 he proposed to his brother the "Ten Principles for the Establishment of the One-Ideology System" (whose first principles was: "We must give our all in the struggle to unify the entire society with the revolutionary ideology of the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung"), which were published only in 1974.
By 1970, when he was elected Politburo member, Kim Yong-ju was widely believed to be Kim Il-sung's most likely successor. He was also elected to the top Central People's Committee and the SPA Presidium in 1972. However, at the same time Kim Il-sung started grooming his own son Kim Jong-il
to be his designated successor, and a power struggle erupted.
It was the period when the WPK was focusing ideologically on Kim Il-sung's Juche
; while Kim Jong-il actively stood for this process, Kim Yong-ju, having studied in Russia
, supported a more classical view of Marxism
and was fond of the extensive personality cult built around his brother. This played to Kim Jong-il's advantage: Kim Yong-ju was more and more marginalized, his key allies Kim Do-man (director of propaganda) and Park Yong-guk (director of international liaison) were removed, and he himself was finally attacked by Kim Il-sung. After a Central Committee plenum in February 1974, Kim Jong-il was granted the position of heir apparent
and Kim Yong-ju was demoted to vice-premier. In 1975 he was also sent to Jagang Province under house arrest.
Kim Yong-ju completely disappeared from limelight until 1993, when he was called back to Pyongyang by Kim Il-sung to serve as a powerless vice-president of the DPRK. After the post of President of the DPRK was awarded eternally to Kim Il-sung, Kim Yong-ju was appointed honorary vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly in 1998, a post he currently holds.
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North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n politician and the younger brother of the country's former supreme leader Kim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung was a Korean communist politician who led the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from its founding in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of Prime Minister from 1948 to 1972 and President from 1972 to his death...
. He currently holds a ceremonial position as Honorary Vice President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly
Supreme People's Assembly
The Supreme People's Assembly is the unicameral parliament of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , commonly known as North Korea...
, North Korea's parliament.
Biography
Kim Yong-ju was born to Kim Hyŏng-jikKim Hyong-jik
Kim Hyŏng-jik was Korean independence activist and Communist politician. Hyŏng-jik was father of the late North Korean founder Kim Il-sung and the grandfather of the present leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-il.-Biography:...
and Kang Pan-sŏk in Mangyŏngdae
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
in 1920, 8 years after his elder brother Kim Il-sung.
After studying economics at the Moscow State University
Moscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
, where he also took a deep interest in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, Kim Yong-ju joined the Workers' Party of Korea
Workers' Party of Korea
The Workers' Party of Korea is the ruling Communist party of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , commonly known as North Korea. It is also called the Korean Workers' Party...
. His rise through the party's echelons was fast: from the 1950s to the 1960s he was chief cadre (1954), vice-director (1957) and finally director (1960) of the WPK Organization and Guidance Department, and he was appointed member of the WPK Central Committee
Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea
The Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea is the leadership body of the Workers' Party of Korea. According to Party rules, the Central Committee directs the Party work between the Party Congresses...
member at the Party's 4th Congress
Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea
The Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea is the highest body of the Workers' Party of Korea, according to Party Rules.The WPK Congress hears the reports of central authorities, makes amendments to Party Rules, sets the Party's political line, and elects the WPK Central Committee as well as the...
in 1961. In 1966 he was promoted to Organizing Secretary of the WPK Central Committee.
In 1967 he proposed to his brother the "Ten Principles for the Establishment of the One-Ideology System" (whose first principles was: "We must give our all in the struggle to unify the entire society with the revolutionary ideology of the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung"), which were published only in 1974.
By 1970, when he was elected Politburo member, Kim Yong-ju was widely believed to be Kim Il-sung's most likely successor. He was also elected to the top Central People's Committee and the SPA Presidium in 1972. However, at the same time Kim Il-sung started grooming his own son Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, birth name Yuri Irsenovich Kim born 16 February 1941 or 16 February 1942 , is the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...
to be his designated successor, and a power struggle erupted.
It was the period when the WPK was focusing ideologically on Kim Il-sung's Juche
Juche
Juche or Chuch'e is a Korean word usually translated as "self-reliance." In the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , "Juche" refers specifically to a political thesis of Kim Il-sung, the Juche Idea, that identifies the Korean masses as the masters of the country's development...
; while Kim Jong-il actively stood for this process, Kim Yong-ju, having studied in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, supported a more classical view of Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
and was fond of the extensive personality cult built around his brother. This played to Kim Jong-il's advantage: Kim Yong-ju was more and more marginalized, his key allies Kim Do-man (director of propaganda) and Park Yong-guk (director of international liaison) were removed, and he himself was finally attacked by Kim Il-sung. After a Central Committee plenum in February 1974, Kim Jong-il was granted the position of heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
and Kim Yong-ju was demoted to vice-premier. In 1975 he was also sent to Jagang Province under house arrest.
Kim Yong-ju completely disappeared from limelight until 1993, when he was called back to Pyongyang by Kim Il-sung to serve as a powerless vice-president of the DPRK. After the post of President of the DPRK was awarded eternally to Kim Il-sung, Kim Yong-ju was appointed honorary vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly in 1998, a post he currently holds.
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