The Ministry of Defence (, formerly 인민무력성/人民武力省 or Ministry of the People's Armed Forces) is the government agency tasked with general administrative and logistical coordination of the

Korean People's Army The Korean People's Army (KPA; ) is the military force of North Korea and the armed wing of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). Under the '' Songun'' policy, it is the central institution of North Korean society. Currently, WPK General S ...

(KPA). Prior to 1992, it was under the direct control of supreme commander and

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese f ...

, with guidance from the

National Defence Commission The National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (NDC) () was the highest state institution for military and national defence leadership in North Korea, which also served as the highest governing institution of the cou ...

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. The current Minister of National Defence is Vice Marshal Ri Yong-gil.

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.

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 corporation A state-owned enterprise (SOE) is a Government, government entity which is established or nationalised by the ''national government'' or ''provincial government'' by an executive order or an act of legislation in order to earn Profit (econom ...

s related to the defence industry and other

foreign currency A currency, "in circulation", from la, currens, -entis, literally meaning "running" or "traversing" is a standardization of money in any form, in use or circulation as a medium of exchange, for example banknotes and coins. A more general def ...

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 Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. ...

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 Security is protection from, or resilience against, potential harm (or other unwanted coercive change) caused by others, by restraining the freedom of others to act. Beneficiaries (technically referents) of security may be of persons and social g ...

Both the Director of the General Political Bureau and Chief of the General Staff have more power than the Minister.

Ministers of Defence

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(12 May 2015 – 11 July 2015) , -

References

{{Commanders of the Korean People's Army

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and ...

Politics of North Korea Government of North Korea Military of North Korea North Korean entities subject to the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctions

History

Duties

Departments

Ministers of Defence

See also

References