Ri Ul-sol
| Marshal Ri Ul-sol | |
|---|---|
| Born |
1921 (aged 92-93) Seishin (Chongjin), North Hamgyong Province, Japanese-ruled Korea |
| Allegiance |
 North Korea |
| Service/branch | Korean People's Army |
| Years of service | 1930s–present |
| Rank | Marshal of KPA |
| Battles/wars | World War II, Korean War |
| Awards |
Order of Kim Il-sung Hero of Labour Order of the National Flag (1st class) Double Hero |
| Korean name | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | 리을설 |
| Hancha | 李乙雪 |
| Revised Romanization | I Eulseol |
| McCune–Reischauer | Ri Ŭlsŏl |
Ri Ul-sol (리을설; born 1921) is a North Korean politician and military official. He played an important role in the administrations of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, achieving the rank of Marshal of the Korean People's Army. He was responsible for the safety of top North Korean leaders and their families as Commander of the Guard. Due to old age, Ri has been sidelined politically, having retired from most of his positions.
Early life and education
Ri Ul-sol was born in 1921 in Songjin, North Hamgyong Province.[1]
He may have been trained at the Okeanskaya Field School in Vladivostok or in the RKKA Military Academy in Khabarovsk, both in the Soviet Union.[1]
Military career
In the late 1930s Ri was a soldier in Kim Il-sung's United Army, which was a partisan unit.[1] He fought for Korea's independence from Japan alongside Kim Il-sung in World War II.[2] Ri served in the 88th Sniper Brigade with Kim Il-sung, Kim Chol-man, and other first-generation North Korean politicians.[3] During the outbreak of the Korean War, Ri Ul-sol was responsible for the care of Kim Jong-il and Kim Kyong-hui, the children of Kim Il-sung.[4] It is said that Ri assumed the position of surrogate father to Kim Jong-il, the future North Korean leader.[1]
He was promoted through the North Korean military system, earning the following ranks:[1]
| Rank/position | Date promoted | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Regiment Commanding Officer | August 1948 | (unknown regiment) |
| Chief of Staff | July 1950 | 4th Division, Korean People's Army |
| Commanding Officer | April 1951 | 3rd Regiment, 15th Division, Korean People's Army |
| Major General | March 1957 | Korean People's Army |
| Division Commander | March 1957 | (unknown division) |
| Lieutenant General | October 1962 | Korean People's Army |
| Commanding Officer | October 1962 | 5th Army Corps, Korean People's Army |
| Commanding Officer | March 1968 | 1st Army Corps, Korean People's Army |
| Colonel General | February 1972 | Korean People's Army |
| General | April 1985 | Korean People's Army |
| Vice Marshal | April 1992 | Korean People's Army |
| Marshal | October 1995 | Korean People's Army |
| Commanding Officer | February 1996 | Guard Command, Korean People's Army |
He is one of only a handful of North Korean Marshals (the others being Kim Jong-il, O Jin-u, Choe Kwang, and Kim Jong-un), the second highest North Korean military rank. His full title is Marshal of the Korean People's Army.[1][2][3][4] In his other major position, Commander of the Guard (1996–2003), he was responsible for guarding the top North Korean officials, including Kim Jong-il and his family.[5] The Guard Command is one of the few military positions which show little turnover, as Ri managed to hold onto his position from 1984–2003.[6] Furthermore, Ri Ul-sol became a member of the Central Military Commission in October 1980, and a member of the National Defense Commission in May 1990.[1]
Political career
Ri was a deputy delegate to the 3rd, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Supreme People's Assemblies. In the 10th SPA, he represented Electoral District 583, and in the 12th SPA, he represented Electoral District 1.[1] He was also a member of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea in November 1970.[1]
He was part of the Funeral Committees for both Kim Il-sung and O Jin-u. The funeral committees are often seen as an indicator of de facto power.[7][8][1]
Politically, Ri Ul-sol is one of the last surviving members of the first generation of North Korean leadership. He is seen as an ultraconservative.[2] Due to old age, Ri is no longer a major player in North Korean politics, having retired from most of his positions in 2003 during a reshuffle.[6][9]
Awards
Ri Ul-sol is a recipient of various awards, including the Order of Kim Il-sung, Hero of Labour, Order of the National Flag (1st class). He also has been awarded twice the title of the Hero of the DPRK.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 "Ri Ul-sol". North Korean Leadership Watch. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Ri Ul-sol". Retrieved 23 December 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Kim Kyong-hui an SPA No-show". North Korean Leadership Watch. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Kim Family". North Korea Leadership Watch. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
- ↑ Moon, Chung-in (1998). "Understanding regime dynamics in North Korea". International Political Science Association: 105.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Haggard, Stephan. "Purges and Appointments I: What’s Going On?". Peterson Institute for International Economics. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
- ↑ Hakoda, Tetsuya (27 December 2011). "All eyes set on Kim Jong Il's funeral committee list". Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
- ↑ "Clues from Kim Jong-il Funeral List". Chosun Ilbo. 20 December 2011. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
- ↑ "N.Korea Purges Party, Military". Chosun Ilbo. February 5, 2010. Retrieved 23 December 2013.