O Kuk-ryol
Encyclopedia
O Kuk-ryol is a North Korea
n military general and since April 2009, has been a vice chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea
as head of its Operations Department. The son of O Jung-song and nephew of O Jung-hup, who fought the Japan
ese with Kim Il-sung
, O Kuk-ryol has been a close personal friend of Kim Jong-il
, current Supreme Leader of North Korea, since their childhood. He has been called the second most powerful man in North Korea, and has been mentioned in Western press as playing a possible role in the leadership succession after Kim Jong-il. A 2006 South Korea
n intelligence report suggested he was Kim's likely successor, and said that he was "seen as a very reliable person who also knows South Korea well". He was part of the "1980 group", who rose to power as Kim Jong-il succeeded Kim Il-sung.
O previously served as an air force commander, beginning as a major general and superintendent of the North’s air force academy in 1964, and then as a lieutenant general and air force commander in 1967 before joining politics in 1970 as a cadre in the Supreme People's Assembly
. In 1973, he was among the pilots who were sent to aid the Egyptian Air Force
during the Yom Kippur War
. He was promoted again in 1979 to chief of staff of the Korean People's Army Ground Force, after serving two years as the deputy chief of staff, and then to general in 1985, despite a brief departure following disagreements with the Minister of the Armed Forces, O Chin-u
. In 1988, he was "purged" by the regime, though this may have had to do with his later counterfeiting activities. In 1989, O returned to his post as the head of the defense bureau of the Workers' Party of Korea
, where he served until the bureau was transferred into the National Defense Commission in 2009.
In June 2009, O was identified by international authorities and the United States
government as a key figure in North Korea's currency counterfeiting activities, specifically with United States one hundred-dollar bill
s, known as Superdollar
s. He was reported to have also involved members of his family, including his son O Se-won, in the counterfeiting business, which reportedly took place at the Pyongsong Trademark Printing Factory, a factory under the control of O's Operations Department. His other son O Se-uk, who was also a military general, defected to the United States in 2004. He also has five daughters, the eldest of which is a screenwriter for a film studio. O is also reportedly fluent in Russian
, Chinese
, and English
.
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 military general and since April 2009, has been a vice chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea
National Defence Commission of North Korea
The National Defense Commission of North Korea is defined by the 1998 constitution as “the highest guiding organ of the military and the managing organ of military matters.” The Chairman of the National Defense Commission controls the armed forces and, in this state where the military...
as head of its Operations Department. The son of O Jung-song and nephew of O Jung-hup, who fought the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese with 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...
, O Kuk-ryol has been a close personal friend of 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...
, current Supreme Leader of North Korea, since their childhood. He has been called the second most powerful man in North Korea, and has been mentioned in Western press as playing a possible role in the leadership succession after Kim Jong-il. A 2006 South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n intelligence report suggested he was Kim's likely successor, and said that he was "seen as a very reliable person who also knows South Korea well". He was part of the "1980 group", who rose to power as Kim Jong-il succeeded Kim Il-sung.
O previously served as an air force commander, beginning as a major general and superintendent of the North’s air force academy in 1964, and then as a lieutenant general and air force commander in 1967 before joining politics in 1970 as a cadre in 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...
. In 1973, he was among the pilots who were sent to aid the Egyptian Air Force
Egyptian Air Force
The Egyptian Air Force, or EAF , is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces. The EAF is headed by an Air Marshal . Currently, the commander of the Egyptian Air Force is Air Marshal Reda Mahmoud Hafez Mohamed...
during the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
. He was promoted again in 1979 to chief of staff of the Korean People's Army Ground Force, after serving two years as the deputy chief of staff, and then to general in 1985, despite a brief departure following disagreements with the Minister of the Armed Forces, O Chin-u
O Chin-u
Marshal O Chin-u was a soldier and politician of North Korea. He was the Minister of Armed Forces for many years until his death in February 1995. O was the third most powerful person in North Korea, after Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il...
. In 1988, he was "purged" by the regime, though this may have had to do with his later counterfeiting activities. In 1989, O returned to his post as the head of the defense bureau of 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...
, where he served until the bureau was transferred into the National Defense Commission in 2009.
In June 2009, O was identified by international authorities and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government as a key figure in North Korea's currency counterfeiting activities, specifically with United States one hundred-dollar bill
United States one hundred-dollar bill
The United States one hundred-dollar bill is a denomination of United States currency. U.S. statesman, inventor and diplomat Benjamin Franklin is currently featured on the obverse of the bill. On the reverse of the banknote is an image of Independence Hall. The time on the clock according to the...
s, known as Superdollar
Superdollar
A superdollar or superbill is a very high quality counterfeit United States one hundred-dollar bill, alleged by the U.S. Government to have been made by an unknown organization or government. Various groups have been suspected of creating such notes, and international opinion on the origin of the...
s. He was reported to have also involved members of his family, including his son O Se-won, in the counterfeiting business, which reportedly took place at the Pyongsong Trademark Printing Factory, a factory under the control of O's Operations Department. His other son O Se-uk, who was also a military general, defected to the United States in 2004. He also has five daughters, the eldest of which is a screenwriter for a film studio. O is also reportedly fluent in Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
, and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.