# General Staff Department of the Korean People's Army

The General Staff Department (GSD) of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is the senior military leadership of the armed forces of North Korea responsible for its administrative, operational and logistical needs. The current Chief of the General Staff is Vice Marshal Ri Yong-gil.

## Duties

The GSD is the principal administrative body of the KPA besides the Ministry of Defense, which gives it the authority to do the following:
* Plan the national defense policy for the KPA
* Assess threats to the sovereignty and security of the state
* Regulate the training, education, and organization of the KPA

## Chiefs of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army

| No. | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
| 1 | Kon, KangColonel General Kang Kon 강건 (1918–1950) | February 1948 | September 1950 | 2 years, 7 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 2 | Il, NamGeneral Nam Il 남일 (1915–1976) | September 1950 | August 1953 | 2 years, 11 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 3 | Kwang-hyop, KimGeneral Kim Kwang-hyop 김광협 (1915–1970) | August 1953 | September 1957 | 4 years, 1 month | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 4 | Kwon-mu, LeeColonel General Lee Kwon-mu 리권무 (1914–1986?) | September 1957 | July 1959 | 1 year, 10 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 5 | Chang-bong, KimColonel General Kim Chang-bong 김창봉 | July 1959 | October 1962 | 3 years, 3 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 6 | Kwang, ChoeGeneral Choe Kwang 최광 (1918–1997) | October 1962 | December 1968 | 6 years, 2 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 7 | Jin-u, OGeneral O Jin-u 오진우 (1917–1995) | December 1968 | September 1979 | 10 years, 9 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 8 | Kuk-ryol, OGeneral O Kuk-ryol 오극렬 (1930–2023) | September 1979 | February 1988 | 8 years, 5 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| (6) | Kwang, ChoeMarshal Choe Kwang 최광 (1918–1997) | February 1988 | October 1995 | 7 years, 8 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 9 | Yong-chun, KimVice Marshal Kim Yong-chun 김영춘 (1936–2018) | October 1995 | April 2007 | 11 years, 6 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 10 | Kyok-sik, KimGeneral Kim Kyok-sik 김격식 (1938–2015) | April 2007 | February 2009 | 1 year, 10 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 11 | Yong-ho, RiVice Marshal Ri Yong-ho 리영호 (1942–2012) | February 2009 | July 2012 | 3 years, 5 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 12 | Yong-chol, HyonVice Marshal Hyon Yong-chol 현영철 (1949–2015) | July 2012 | May 2013 | 10 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| (10) | Kyok-sik, KimGeneral Kim Kyok-sik 김격식 (1938–2015) | May 2013 | August 2013 | 3 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 13 | Yong-gil, RiGeneral Ri Yong-gil 리영길 (born 1952) | August 2013 | January 2016 | 2 years, 6 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 14 | Myong-su, RiVice Marshal Ri Myong-su 리명수 (born 1934) | February 2016 | June 2018 | 2 years, 4 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| (13) | Yong-gil, RiGeneral Ri Yong-gil 리영길 (born 1952) | 4 June 2018 | 6 September 2019 | 1 year, 3 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 15 | Jong-chon, PakMarshal Pak Jong-chon 박정천 | 6 September 2019 | 7 September 2021 | 2 years | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 16 | Kwang-il, RimGeneral Rim Kwang-il 림광일 (born 1965) | 7 September 2021 | 8 June 2022 | 9 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 17 | Thae-sop, RiGeneral Ri Thae-sop 리태섭 | 8 June 2022 | 28 December 2022 | 6 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 18 | Su-il, ParkGeneral Park Su-il 박수일 | 28 December 2022 | 10 August 2023 | 7 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| (13) | Yong-gil, RiVice Marshal Ri Yong-gil 리영길 (born 1952) | 10 August 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 4 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |