Gen. Kim Kyok Sik
General Kim Kyok Sik is Vice Minister of the People’s Armed Forces and an alternate (candidate) member of the Korean Workers’ Party Central Committee. From 2007 to 2009 Kim served as Chief of the KPA General Staff and from 2009-2011 served as commander of IV Army Corps. General Kim is believed to have directed the firing of artillery shells in the West Sea near the Northern Limit Line in November 2009 and the firing of artillery on South Korean islands near the NLL on 23 November 2010. He was also observed participating in a Pyongyang military agreement signing ceremony with Myanmar in November 2008.
Kim Kyok Sik was born in 1943. He studied at Kim Il Sung Military Academy. In the 1970s he served as a military attaché in Syria. Kim likely managed instructors and other training support for the ELF (in Ethiopia) and the Turkish Workers’ Party which the DPRK provided in the early 1970s, in coordination with Syria.
He returned to the DPRK in the early 1980s and served as a squad commander. He was elected a deputy to the 9th Supreme People’s Assembly in 1990. He was elected an alternate member of the CC KWP at its 18th plenum (6th Term/6th CC) in May 1990 and promoted to full membership at the 19th plenum in December 1991. Kim was promoted to Colonel General in 1992 and was a member of Kim Il Sung’s Funeral Committee in July 1994.
Kim Kyok Shik was assigned command of II Army Corps in October 1994 where he served until 2007. He was promoted to General in 1997. In April 2007 Kim was appointed Chief of the KPA General Staff, replacing Kim Yong Chun. He served as chief of the GSD until February 2009, when he was replaced by Ri Yong Ho.
Gen Shwe Mann (left) and Gen Kim Gyok-sik (R) exchange copies of a memorandum of understanding at the Defense Ministry on November, 2008. (The Irrawaddy)
Kim was assigned command of the IV Army Corps. However it is more likely he was assigned command of the Western Area (Region), given his rank and ties to the supreme command of the KPA. After his command assignment in February 2009, General Kim led drills near the NLL. He commanded the firing of artillery shells near the NLL in November 2009.
Kim Kyok Sik’s Party Central Committee membership status was downgraded when his name appeared on a list of alternate (candidate) members on 28 September 2010. Gen. Kim participated in the KPA’s artillery shelling of Yonpyong Island on 23 November 2010. In August 2011 Kim migrated back to Pyongyang where he serves in the MPAF.
Kim Kyok Sik
Vice Minister of the People’s Armed Forces
Alternate member, Party Central Committee (CC KWP)
Deputy, 12th Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA)
Career
1971: Deputy Military Attaché
1982: Squadron Commander
1990: Deputy, 9th SPA
Elected, Alternate Member, CC KWP
1991: Elected, Member, CC KWP
1992: Promoted, Colonel General
1994: Member, Kim Il Sung Funeral Committee
Appointed Commander II Army Corps
1995: Member, O Jin U Funeral Committee
1997: Promoted, General
Member, Choe Kwang Funeral Committee
1998: Deputy, 10th SPA
2003: Deputy, 11th SPA
2007: Appointed Chief of the KPA General Staff
2009: Deputy, 12th SPA
Appointed Commander, KPA Western Region or IV Army Corps
2010: Elected, Alternate Member, CC KWP
2011: Appointed, Vice Minister of the People’s Armed Forces
See:
Bermudez, Joseph S., Jr. Terrorism: The North Korean Connection New York, NY: Taylor and Francis, 1990, p. 77
“Senior N.Korean Hardliner at Hand During Incursion,” Chosun Ilbo, November 11, 2009
Moe, Wae, “Burma-North Korea Ties: Escalating Over Two Decades” The Irawaddy, July 7, 2010
Yonhap News Agency. North Korea Handbook. Armonk, NY: ME Sharpe, 2003. p. 836
