North Korea’s Defence Minister has been dismissed as part of a reshuffle of the country’s military leadership, state media reported on Sunday (August 30, 2026).
Several other promotions were also announced.
The “structural reorganization plans” were decided during a meeting on Saturday (August 29) led by Kim Jong Un, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. In a separate report, KCNA said Mr. The honorees greatly contributed to “resolving scientific and technological problems of epochal significance in developing new combat weapon systems”, KCNA said, without specifying the type of system.
Kim had lauded scientists, researchers and officials at a ceremony on Saturday for their advances in defence technology, giving them top national honours.
Kim Song Gi, director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People’s Army, was named as the new Defence Minister. Another senior official, Defence Advisor Pak Jong Chon, was given the position of vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and named to the ruling party’s Political Bureau.
No Kwang Chol was not only dismissed as Defence Minister but also demoted in the ruling party leadership to “first vice-director of the Munitions Industry Department,” KCNA said.
