Kim Yong-ju was believed to be Kim Il-sung's first choice as successor, and his authority increased until he became co-chairman of the North–South Coordination Committee.
Kim Yong-ju sempat diyakini menjadi pilihan pertama sebagai pengganti Kim Il-sung, dan kewenangannya bertambah hingga ia menjadi ketua Komite Koordinasi Utara–Selatan.