Hyon Yong-chol facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vice Marshal
Hyon Yong-chol
|
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|---|---|
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office June 12, 2014 – April 2015 |
|
| Supreme Leader | Kim Jong-un |
| Preceded by | Jang Jong-nam |
| Succeeded by | Pak Yong-sik |
| Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission |
|
| In office July 26, 2012 – May 24, 2013 |
|
| Supreme Leader | Kim Jong-un |
| Preceded by | Choe Ryong-hae Ri Yong-ho |
| Succeeded by | Choe Ryong-hae |
| Chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army | |
| In office July 26, 2012 – May 24, 2013 |
|
| Supreme Leader | Kim Jong-un |
| Preceded by | Ri Yong-ho |
| Succeeded by | Kim Kyok-sik |
| Defence Minister | Kim Jong-gak Kim Kyok-sik Jang Jong-nam |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Hyon Yong-chol
January 11, 1949 Kyŏngsŏng County (modern Ŏrang County), North Hamgyong Province, North Korea |
| Died | April 30, 2015 (aged 66) (rumored) North Korea |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  North Korea |
| Branch/service |  Korean People's Army |
| Rank | .svg){kind=icon} Vice Marshal (reportedly demoted to General in November 2012) |
| Hyon Yong-chol | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | |
|---|---|
| Hancha | |
| Revised Romanization | Hyeon Yeongcheol |
| McCune–Reischauer | Hyŏn Yŏngch'ŏl |
Hyon Yong-chol (Hangul: 현영철; born January 11, 1949 – rumored April 30, 2015) was a high-ranking North Korean military officer and politician. He served as the Minister of Defence for North Korea from 2014 to 2015. In 2015, there were reports that he was removed from his position.
Contents
Hyon Yong-chol's Life and Military Career
Hyon Yong-chol was born in January 1949. He joined the military in 1966. Over the years, he rose through the ranks.
In September 2010, Hyon was promoted to the rank of four-star general. This promotion happened alongside other important figures like Kim Jong-un. In December 2011, he was part of the national funeral committee after the death of Kim Jong-il. He also became a member of the Central Committee for the Workers' Party of Korea. In February 2012, he received a special award called the Order of Kim Jong-il.
In July 2012, Hyon was promoted again to Vice Marshal of the KPA. This happened shortly after another top general, Ri Yong-ho, was removed from his duties. Hyon then took over Ri's role as Chief of the General Staff. He was also named vice-chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea's Central Military Commission.
Later, in November 2012, Hyon was reportedly demoted back to the rank of General. In March 2013, he became an alternate member of the Politburo, which is a powerful political group. In May 2013, he was put in charge of the 5th Army Corps. Then, in June 2014, he was called back to the capital city, Pyongyang, to serve as the Minister of the People's Armed Forces.
Reports of Removal from Office
In May 2015, there were reports from South Korea's National Intelligence Service that Hyon Yong-chol had been removed from his position and possibly executed. These reports suggested he was executed in April 2015 near Pyongyang.
The reasons given for his removal included not following orders and reportedly falling asleep during important military meetings. However, these reports were not fully confirmed.
Hours after the first reports, South Korea's National Intelligence Service changed its statement. They said they had information suggesting an execution, but they could not fully confirm it. Doubts about the reports grew because Hyon was still shown on North Korean television. He was also mentioned in a North Korean newspaper on the very day he was supposedly executed. This made it seem unlikely that he was arrested and executed so quickly.
In July, North Korean state media named Pak Yong-sik as the new armed forces minister. However, they did not officially announce Hyon's removal. A South Korean spokesperson said that the reports about Hyon's execution should be considered rumors until there was clear proof. His rumored execution was never officially confirmed by North Korea.
Awards and Honors Received
Hyon Yong-chol received many awards and honors during his career. His official portrait shows him wearing all these decorations.
- Order of Kim Il-sung
- Order of Kim Jong-il
- Order of the National Flag First Class, seven times
- Order of Freedom and Independence First Class, twice
- Order of Korean Labour, twice
- Commemorative Order "50th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea"
- Commemorative Order "Anniversary of the Foundation of the People's Army"
- Order of Military Service Honour First Class
- Commemorative Order "30th Anniversary of the Agricultural Presentation"
- Order of the National Flag Second Class, three times
- Order of Freedom and Independence Second Class
- Order of Military Service Honour Second Class
- Order of the Red Banner of Three Great Revolutions
- Order of the National Flag Third Class, twice
- Order of Military Service Honour Third Class
- Soldier's Medal of Honour Second Class
- Commemorative Medal "The Foundation of the People's Republic of Korea"
- Medal For Military Merit
Images for kids
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Flag of the Korean People's Army Ground Force
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Vice-Marshal rank insignia (North Korea)
See also
In Spanish: Hyon Yong-chol para niños
