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*Wonsu*
Hyon Chol-hae
Wonsu Hyon Chol-hae
Vice director of the General Political Department
	In office; 1986–1995
Supreme Leader	Kim Jong Il
Personal details
Born	13 August 1934; Yanji, Jilin, Manchukuo
Died	19 May 2022 (aged 87); Ponghwa Clinic, Pyongyang, North Korea
Resting place	Patriotic Martyrs' Cemetery
Political party	Workers' Party of Korea
Alma mater	Nicolae Bălcescu Land Forces Academy
Military service
Allegiance	North Korea
Rank	Marshal of the Korean People's Army
Battles/wars	Korean War
Korean name
Hangul	현철해
Hanja	玄哲海
Revised Romanization	Hyeon Cheolhae
McCune–Reischauer	Hyŏn Ch'ŏrhae

Hyon Chol-hae (Korean: 현철해; 13 August 1934 – 19 May 2022) was a North Korean military officer and politician who was closely tied to the ruling Kim family. He served as Kim Il Sung's bodyguard during the Korean War and reported directly to Kim Jong Il as deputy director of the General Political Department. In 2016, he was promoted to Marshal of the Korean People's Army, the Army's highest rank.

He died on 19 May 2022 from multiple organ failure. He received a state funeral, in which Kim Jong Un personally carried his casket.

Biography

Hyon was born on 13 August 1934 in Yanji, Jilin province in the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo.^[2]

During the Korean War, Hyon served as Kim Il Sung's bodyguard, a role which gave him "a place in North Korea's revolutionary history". He was director of the General Logistics Department of the Korean People's Army from 1986 to 1995, when he was appointed deputy director of the General Political Department, becoming one of the most senior members of the North Korean military and political leadership. He was described as being in "close proximity" to Kim Jong Il, and as reporting directly to him. It had been suggested that following the death of Kim Jong Il he may have taken part in a military council leading the country.^[3] He was transferred to director of the Standing Bureau of the National Defence Commission. He was a member of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea from 1991 until his death.

He was vital in securing the succession campaign for Kim Jong Un, having entrusted by Kim Jong Il with the upbringing of his chosen successor, effectively serving as a "political" mentor of Kim Jong Un. This is attested by photographs and television footage which shown Hyon accompanying Kim Jong Un in the late 2000s. ^[4]

In April 2012, he received important promotions as Vice Marshal, member of the Politburo and the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea, first vice-minister of the People's Armed Forces and director of the army's General Logistics Department.

He was replaced as first vice-minister of defense by his predecessor as logistics director, Jon Chang-bok, in May 2013.

On April 15, 2016, Hyon Chol-hae became the fifth person^[5] to be promoted to the rank of Marshal of the Korean People's Army,^[6] in one of the first two promotions of active duty officers after 21 years.

Death

On 19 May 2022, Hyon died at the Ponghwa Clinic in Pyongyang from multiple organ failure at the age of 87.^[7] He received a state funeral and was laid in state at the April 25 House of Culture. Kim Jong Un personally bore his casket and placed earth upon his grave at the Patriotic Martyrs' Cemetery.^[8] His legacy in cementing Kim's rule is embellished in North Korean media, attesting his role in Kim Jong Un's succession preparations as "an outstanding revolutionary born of the Juche revolution and a skilled military politician". A documentary was made in his honor which aired in state television days after his death.^[9]