d'Vinci
O Geuk-ryeol
O Geuk-ryeol is the of son a veteran of the anti-Japanese guerrilla movement in Manchuria and a leading military figure in North Korea.
O GEUK-RYEOL (1931- ). In February 2009, General O Geuk-ryeol (O Kuk Ryol) became a vice chair of the National Defense Committee (NDC) of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), one of the most senior positions in the DPRK hierarchy. O was born in Jilin in Manchuria in 1931. According to an item put out by KBS radio in the Republic of Korea (ROK), he is the son of O Jung-seong, who fought in Manchuria with Kim Il Sung. After his father’s death, he was brought up in Kim Il Sung’s family and was therefore close to Kim Jong Il. He was educated at the Mangyeongdae Revolutionary School and at Kim Il Sung University. He also received military training in the Soviet Union. In 1964, he was promoted to major general in the Korean People’s Army (KPA) air force and appointed dean of the Air Force Academy. In 1967, he became a lieutenant general and commanding officer in the air force. He also became a delegate to the Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) at this time and a member of the Korean Workers’ Party (KWP) Central Committee in 1970. In 1977, he was appointed vice chief of staff of the armed forces and became chief of staff two years later. Jo Myeong-rok succeeded him as head of the air force. His advance in party and military positions continued during the 1980s. In 1988, however, he successively los this positions. He was dismissed as chief of staff in February from the KWP Politburo, of which he had become a full member in 1980, in April, and from the Central Military Committee, also in April. It was said that he had clashed with O Jin-u, minister for the armed forces, over the question of modernizing the military and was only saved from total disgrace by the intervention of Kim Jong Il.
When he reemerged at the end of 1988, it was as head of defense on the KWP Central Committee. The following year, he became director of the strategy department of the Central Committee, which oversees matters relating to the ROK. Although he served on the funeral committees for Kim Il Sung in 1994 and O Jin-u in 1995, his profile thereafter was generally low key until his appointment to the NDC. O is seen as powerful because of his links to Kim Jong Il and his involvement with the ROK, which explains his appointment to the NDC. Some reports say that he is a rival to Jang Seong-taek, Kim Jong Il’s brother-in-law, others that they work together. There have also been claims that O and other members of his family are involved in the counterfeiting of United States dollars. He speaks Russian, Chinese, and English. An indication that he continues to be an important figure was his presence as 29th on Kim Jong Il’s funeral committee in December 2011.
All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. (Historical Dictionary of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, by James E. Hoare, published by RLPG Books, appears by permission of the author and publisher).
When he reemerged at the end of 1988, it was as head of defense on the KWP Central Committee. The following year, he became director of the strategy department of the Central Committee, which oversees matters relating to the ROK. Although he served on the funeral committees for Kim Il Sung in 1994 and O Jin-u in 1995, his profile thereafter was generally low key until his appointment to the NDC. O is seen as powerful because of his links to Kim Jong Il and his involvement with the ROK, which explains his appointment to the NDC. Some reports say that he is a rival to Jang Seong-taek, Kim Jong Il’s brother-in-law, others that they work together. There have also been claims that O and other members of his family are involved in the counterfeiting of United States dollars. He speaks Russian, Chinese, and English. An indication that he continues to be an important figure was his presence as 29th on Kim Jong Il’s funeral committee in December 2011.
All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. (Historical Dictionary of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, by James E. Hoare, published by RLPG Books, appears by permission of the author and publisher).
