Kim Yeong-il

KIM YEONG-IL (1944- ). Kim Yeong-il was premier of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) from April 2007 until June 2010. He has a technical background in marine transport. He served in the armed forces from 1960 to 1969 and then attended the Raj in University of Marine Transport. In 1981, he was noted as chief of staff of the Youth Construction Brigade, Maritime Affairs Department, Capital Construction. In 1995, he became director of the Maritime Affairs Department. He was a delegate to the 10th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) in July 1998 and became minister of land and marine transport in September that year. He was reappointed to this ministerial post at the 11th SPA in September 2003. As minister, he oversaw one of the DPRK's major economic projects-the modernization of the Ryeongnam Ship Repair Factory near Nampo, completed in 2005. On 12 April 2007, he was appointed premier and was reappointed to this post at the 12th SPA in April 2009. He may have lost this position because of the controversy over the currency reform that took place at the end of 2009. According to reports in the Republic of Korea press, he made a public apology for the confusion and worry caused by the currency reform. Nothing is known of his career since he was replaced as premier by Choe Yeong-rim in June 2010.

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