North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has appointed Kim Tok Hun a new Prime-minister of the North Korean cabinet instead of Kim Jae Ryong, who had been relieved from his post, the state-run KCNA news agency reported on Friday.
“Kim Jong Un, chairman of the State Affairs Commission (SAC) of the DPRK, relieved the Pime-minister of the DPRK Cabinet of his post and appointed new prime-minister. A decree of the SAC on it was made public on August 13, Juche 109 (2020). Kim Jae Ryong was relieved from the premiership of the DPRK Cabinet and Kim Tok Hun appointed as new Prime-minister, according to the decree,” KCNA reported.
Kim Tok Hun, 59, had served as Presidium Member, WPK Political Bureau (2020-present); WPK Vice Chairman (2019-2020); WPK Cadres’ Affairs Department Director (2019-2020); DPRK Vice Premier (2014-2019).
Before his appointment for the prime-minister, Kim Jae Ryong was the Chairman of the Jagang WPK Provincial Committee (since 2015).
The 16th Political Bureau meeting of the 7th Central Committee convened on 13 August. The Political Bureau’s agenda consisted of about six items: the DPRK’s ongoing efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic; reconstruction and relief efforts to cope with floods; setting up a brand new Central Committee Department; preparations for commemorating and celebrating the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the Party in style; and, a series of high-level personnel appointments.
The Political Bureau listened to a briefing on flood damage caused by Korea’s rainy season. According to KCNA, “during the rainy season 39 296 hectares [97, 102 acres] of crops were damaged nationwide including Kangwo’n, North and South Hwanghae Provinces and Kaeso’ng City” and at least 16 680 dwelling houses and over 630 public buildings were destroyed or inundated, lots of roads, bridges and railway sections broken, a dam of a power station gave way and there were other severe damage in various sectors of the national economy.” Flood damage was most severe in “Kimhwa, Ch’o’lwon, Hoeyang and Changdo Counties in Kangwo’n Province” and “U’np’a and Changp’ung counties in North Hwangahe.”
Kim Jong Un (KJU) said that the “flood-stricken people must be suffering great as they are living in temporary dwelling places with their houses and family properties lost. It is a crucial time that our Party must be responsible for their living and we have to go closer to them to share the pain with them and to relieve them of their sufferings.”
So, we think Kim Jae Ryong could deflect blame off the North Korean leader for any hardships coming from a flood aftermath and poor harvest.
According to KJU, the “flood damage rehabilitation should not just be confined to mere construction for removing the damage caused by natural disaster and restoration of the living conditions but should be carried out as an important political work for celebrating the 75th birth anniversary of the Party as a genuine holiday of the people and a revolutionary holiday cementing the single-minded unity (the fourth question in 16th Political Bureau meeting agenda).” So Kim Jae Ryong resignation is an ideological step at noon of the party anniversary to change negative information pattern and soften the situation for KJU.
North Korea has been hit by flooding since earlier this month, as torrential rains threaten to wipe out farmland and the virus-damaged economy heads for what might be its biggest contraction in more than two decades. The flooding has also impacted its Yongbyon nuclear facility, with waters reaching pump houses for mothballed reactors.
Agricultural production is a key element of North Korea’s economy and flooding in its summer months has led to diminished harvest, putting strain on Kim.
The North Korean economy is facing a serious challenge and someone had to take political responsibility. This resignation is likely a precautionary measure to offset complaints from North Korean people in critical situation. The damage to farmland deteriorates with Kim’s decision to shut borders in January due to the coronavirus slammed the brakes on the little legal trade the state has, and could send the economy this year into its biggest contraction since 1997.
Kim Tok Hun has served as KWP Vice Chairman and Director of the KWP Cadres’ Affairs Department [CAD]. Two months after assuming the leadership of CAD, a scandal in the cadres’ training institutes was discovered. Kim Tok Hun has most likely earned Kim Jong Un’s trust because of this and he was probably viewed as the most effective official to step into a major position on short notice.
