Kim Pyong-il

Kim Pyong-il (Korean: 김평일, Korean pronunciation: [kim.pʰjɔŋ.il]; born 10 August 1954) is the younger paternal half-brother of the former leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-il, and the only surviving son of former leader and president of North Korea Kim Il-sung.[1] Choosing to serve his country as a foreign diplomat, Kim Pyong-il lived overseas between 1979 and 2019,[2][3] and served in various diplomatic positions such as ambassador of North Korea to Hungary, Bulgaria, Finland, Poland, and the Czech Republic.[4][5]

In this Korean name, the family name is Kim.
His Excellency

Kim Pyong-il
김평일
North Korea Ambassador to the Czech Republic
In office
2015–2019
Supreme LeaderKim Jong-un
Preceded byPak Hyon Bo
Succeeded byJu Won Chol
North Korea Ambassador to Poland
In office
1998–2015
Supreme LeaderKim Jong-il
Kim Jong-un
Preceded byPaek Nam-sun
Succeeded byGeun Ri
North Korea Ambassador to Finland
In office
1994–1998
Supreme LeaderKim Il-sung
Kim Jong-il
Preceded byChoe Sang-bom
Succeeded bypost not filled
North Korea Ambassador to Bulgaria
In office
1989–1994
Supreme LeaderKim Il-sung
North Korea Ambassador to Hungary
In office
1988–1989
Supreme LeaderKim Il-sung
Personal details
Born (1954-08-10) 10 August 1954
Pyongyang, Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Political partyWorkers' Party of Korea
Children2
ParentsKim Il-sung (father)
Kim Song-ae (mother)
RelativesKim dynasty
Alma materKim Il-sung University
OccupationDPRK battalion commander
former DPRK ambassador to Hungary, Bulgaria, Finland, Poland and the Czech Republic
Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl
김평일
Hancha
金平一
Revised RomanizationGim Pyeong-il
McCune–ReischauerKim P'yŏng'il

Family background and early life

Kim was born to Kim Il-sung and Kim Song-ae, Kim Il-sung's former secretary. Kim had one younger brother, Yong-il,[6] and one older half-sister, Kyong-hui, who would go on to marry senior official Chang Sung-taek.[7] He was named after another son with the same name, who was born in Vyatskoye in 1944; that son, also known as Shura Kim, allegedly drowned in Pyongyang in 1947.[8] He graduated from Kim Il-sung University with a major in economics, and later attended the Kim Il-sung National War College, following which he was appointed a battalion commander.[1]

Kim Pyong-il's rivalry with half-brother Kim Jong-il goes back to the 1970s. In those days, Kim Pyong-il was known as a womaniser who threw raucous parties; sometimes, attendees at these parties would shout, "Long live Kim Pyong-il!". Kim Jong-il knew that this could be portrayed as a threat to the cult of personality surrounding their father Kim Il-sung, and reported the matter; Kim Il-sung was reportedly infuriated, and thus Kim Pyong-il fell out of favour with his father while Kim Jong-il strengthened his position.[9]

Diplomatic career

In 1979, Kim began a series of diplomatic postings to several countries in Europe so that he could not influence politics in his home country. His first overseas assignment was in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.[1] He was promoted to the position of ambassador to the People's Republic of Hungary in 1988, but was transferred to the People's Republic of Bulgaria in response to Hungary's opening of diplomatic relations with South Korea in 1989. This was followed by a posting in Finland.[10][11]

In 1998, after North Korea closed its embassy in Finland to save money and prevent defections, Kim was posted to Poland. His ambassadorship was initially suggested to be in limbo, as nine months after his posting he had yet to formally present his credentials to the Polish president.[12] However, he remained as ambassador in Poland, and his daughter Kim Eun-song and son Kim In-kang went on to attend university in Poland.[1] He was a rare sight in Warsaw's diplomatic community, only occasionally appearing at functions held by the Algerian, Russian and Syrian embassies.[9]

In 2015, he was transferred to the Czech Republic. He later returned to North Korea in November 2019 after stepping down as North Korea's ambassador to the Czech Republic.[4] In January 2020, Ju Won Chol, a former Director General of the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Second European Department,[4] replaced Kim as North Korea's Czech Republic ambassador.[5]

Relations with Pyongyang

Kim Pyong-il reportedly continued to be considered a threat to the North Korean government due to his resemblance to his father Kim Il-sung. Reports claim he is under watch by both North and South Korean intelligence. However, he has kept a low profile, in contrast to his half-nephew Kim Jong-nam who gave frequent interviews with Japanese media, before he was assassinated in Kuala Lumpur in 2017.[9][13][14][15]

In July 2011, Kim was reported by South Korean media to be back in Pyongyang for a visit. Some sources claimed he was under house arrest there since May, though others speculate he was just visiting his dying mother Kim Song-ae or preparing to observe the anniversary of his father's death.[16]

In December 2011, South Korean officials said Kim Pyong-il was in Poland and would not attend Kim Jong-il's funeral. Kim Pyong-il and Kim Song-ae attended the funeral of Kim Il-sung in 1994, but North Korean television broadcasts deleted their images.[17]

In June 2019, Kim Pyong-il visited North Korea for reported medical reasons.[18] In November 2019, Kim Pyong-il returned to North Korea after retiring from a long career as a foreign diplomat.[4] He had not lived in either Pyongyang or his native country since 1979.[3][19] As a result, his return to North Korea following his retirement as a foreign diplomat also marked his return to being a North Korean resident for the first time in 40 years.[3]

See also

References
  1. Kim, Song-A (9 May 2007), "Photos of Kim Jong Il's Brother, Kim Pyong Il and Recent Visits", Daily NK, archived from the original on 27 September 2007, retrieved 25 October 2007
  2. "Kim Jong-un: Who might lead N Korea without Kim?". BBC News. 28 April 2020. Archived from the original on 28 April 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 September 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "Kim Pyong Il, long-time North Korean ambassador in Europe, returns home | NK News". NK News - North Korea News. 8 November 2019. Archived from the original on 1 May 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  5. "North Korea appoints new ambassador to Czech Republic | NK News". NK News - North Korea News. 30 January 2020. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  6. Not the same person as Kim Yong-il, Premier of the DPRK Cabinet from April 2007 to June 2010.
  7. "Photos Surface of Kim Jong-il's Relatives in Europe", Chosun Ilbo, 10 May 2007, archived from the original on 16 October 2007, retrieved 26 October 2007
  8. Lintner, Bertil (10 July 2003), "North Korea: Myth Making Dynastic Lies And Secrets", Far Eastern Economic Review, archived from the original on 29 October 2004, retrieved 25 October 2007
  9. Walker, Shaun (12 March 2012), "Left out in the cold: the man who would be Kim", The Independent, archived from the original on 16 November 2017, retrieved 22 October 2012
  10. Sano, Yoel (14 February 2004), "Happy Birthday, Dear Leader - who's next in line?", Asia Times, archived from the original on 24 March 2012, retrieved 25 October 2007
  11. Sterngold, James (2 June 1990), "Evolution in Europe; Stunned North Korea Warns Soviets on Meeting With Seoul Leader", The New York Times, archived from the original on 27 June 2020, retrieved 22 October 2007
  12. "Kim Jon Il's [sic] half brother's ambassadorship in limbo", Kyōdō News, 19 October 1998, archived from the original on 11 March 2007, retrieved 25 October 2007
  13. Ryall, Julian; Rothwell, James (14 February 2017). "Kim Jong-un's half-brother 'assassinated in Malaysia by female North Korean spies with poison needle'". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  14. McCurry, Justin (14 February 2017). "Kim Jong-un's half-brother reportedly killed in Malaysia". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  15. "Kim Jong-nam: Killing could be sign of 'brutal' N Korean regime". BBC News. 15 February 2017. Archived from the original on 16 December 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  16. "Kim Jong-il's Brother 'Under House Arrest in Pyongyang'", Chosun Ilbo, 3 July 2011, archived from the original on 4 July 2011, retrieved 3 July 2011
  17. "Kim Jong-il's half-brother appears to remain in Poland: official", Korea Herald, 26 December 2011, archived from the original on 26 December 2011, retrieved 22 October 2012
  18. "Ambassador Kim Pyong Il, North Korean leader's uncle, returned home this summer | NK News". NK News - North Korea News. 13 September 2019. Archived from the original on 27 April 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  19. "Photos of Kim Jong Il's Brother, Kim Pyong Il and Recent Visits". Daily NK. 9 May 2007. Archived from the original on 13 May 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
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