# Ministry of National Defence (North Korea)

The Ministry of Defence (Korean: 국방성; Hancha: 國防省, formerly 인민무력성/人民武力省 or Ministry of the People's Armed Forces) is the government agency under the State Affairs Commission tasked with general administrative and logistical coordination of the Korean People's Army (KPA). The current Minister of National Defence is General No Kwang-chol.

## History

Until December 1972, the Minister of the People's Armed Forces was called the Minister of National Defence (민족보위상). It then changed to the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces.
Prior to 1992, it was under the direct control of supreme commander and president, with guidance from the National Defence Commission and the Workers' Party Central Military Commission. The 1992 amendment to the Constitution of North Korea shifts its control to the National Defence Commission. The 2016 amendment shifted its control to the State Affairs Commission. It was renamed to the Ministry of National Defense in October 2020.

## Duties

The Ministry of Defence is essentially an umbrella agency gathering the KPA's logistical, political, and personnel components. The ministry also has departments which coordinate relations with foreign militaries, as well as regulating Government-owned corporations related to the defence industry and other foreign currency earning ventures.
The ministry, through the General Staff Department is responsible for the daily operational planning and management of the KPA's ground, naval, and air commands. It develops strategy, conducts education and training, conveys the orders and guidance of the KPA Supreme Command and completes certain signals intelligence tasks.

## Departments

The Ministry of National Defence contains the following departments:
* General Political Bureau
* General Staff Department
* Security Command
Both the Director of the General Political Bureau and Chief of the General Staff have more power than the Minister.

## Ministers of Defence

| No. | Minister | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
| 1 | Yong-gon, ChoeVice Marshal Choe Yong-gon 최용건 (1900–1976) | September 1948 | September 1957 | 9 years | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 2 | Kwang-hyop, KimGeneral Kim Kwang-hyop 김광협 (1915–1970) | September 1957 | October 1962 | 5 years, 1 month | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 3 | Chang-bong, KimGeneral Kim Chang-bong 김창봉 | October 1962 | December 1968 | 6 years, 2 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 4 | Hyon, ChoeGeneral Choe Hyon 최현 (1907–1982) | December 1968 | May 1976 | 7 years, 5 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 5 | Jin-u, OMarshal O Jin-u 오진우 (1917–1995) | May 1976 | February 1995 | 18 years, 9 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 6 | Kwang, ChoeMarshal Choe Kwang 최광 (1918–1997) | October 1995 | February 1997 | 1 year, 4 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 7 | Il-chol, KimVice Marshal Kim Il-chol 김일철 (1933–2023) | February 1997 | February 2009 | 12 years | Korean People's Navy |
| 8 | Yong-chun, KimVice Marshal Kim Yong-chun 김영춘 (1936–2018) | February 2009 | April 2012 | 3 years, 2 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 9 | Jong-gak, KimVice Marshal Kim Jong-gak 김정각 (born 1941) | April 2012 | November 2012 | 7 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 10 | Kyok-sik, KimGeneral Kim Kyok-sik 김격식 (1938–2015) | November 2012 | May 2013 | 6 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 11 | Jong-nam, JangGeneral Jang Jong-nam 장정남 | May 2013 | June 2014 | 1 year, 1 month | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 12 | Yong-chol, HyonGeneral Hyon Yong-chol 현영철 (1949–2015) | June 2014 | 12 May 2015 | 11 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| Unknown (12 May 2015 – 11 July 2015) |||||||
| 13 | Yong-sik, PakGeneral Pak Yong-sik 박영식 (born 1950) | 11 July 2015 | 4 June 2018 | 2 years, 10 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 14 | Kwang-chol, NoGeneral No Kwang-chol 노광철 (born 1956) | 4 June 2018 | December 2019 | 1 year, 6 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 15 | Jong-gwan, KimGeneral Kim Jong-gwan 김정관 | December 2019 | 29 September 2021 | 1 year, 8 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 16 | Yong-gil, RiVice Marshal Ri Yong-gil 리영길 (born 1955) | 29 September 2021 | 31 December 2022 | 1 year, 3 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 17 | Sun-nam, KangGeneral Kang Sun-nam 강순남 | 31 December 2022 | 8 October 2024 | 1 year, 9 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
| 18 | Kwang-chol, NoGeneral No Kwang-chol 노광철 (born 1956) | 8 October 2024 | Incumbent | 4 months | Korean People's Army Ground Force |