Major Changes in North Korean Military Command Ahead of Trump-Kim Meeting

Reuters and media from Japan and South Korea have reported, citing news sources, that the main commanders of the North Korean armed forces have changed ahead of the meeting between the country's leader and the U.S. President. The South Korean state news agency, Yonhap, reported on June 3 that currently all three main commanders of the North Korean armed forces, including the Minister of the People's Armed Forces (Ministry of Defense) and the Chief of the General Staff, have been replaced. Yonhap states that the new Minister of Defense is considered a more moderate figure. On Sunday, the Asahi Shimbun of Japan also reported that a moderate figure has replaced the North Korean Minister of Defense. These changes come after North Korean official media reported last month about the change of the commander of the army's political office. Asahi also emphasized that the new head of the army's political office, who was previously the mayor of Pyongyang, is considered a moderate figure. On the morning of June 4, Reuters reported, citing a U.S. government official, that three senior officials of the North Korean armed forces have been replaced. The U.S. official, whose name was not disclosed, responded to questions from Reuters regarding the report published by Yonhap. The U.S. official stated that it is possible that the recent decision is related to Kim Jong-un's new approach towards the South and the United States. Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un are scheduled to meet on June 12 in Singapore to discuss North Korea's denuclearization. The South Korean state news agency, citing its source, says that it seems the North Korean leadership is selecting new figures while inter-Korean relations are transforming, as the previous commanders lacked flexibility. On the other hand, the changes may also be related to the issue of Pyongyang's nuclear disarmament. It has been suggested that the commanders who have been 'changed' were opposed to disarmament. Another security official told Yonhap that the changes may be linked to 'generational shifts'; all the new figures are younger than those who previously held military command in North Korea. Reuters states that the White House, CIA, State Department, and Director of National Intelligence have not yet responded to these reports. The North Korean Ministry of Defense is responsible for logistics and personnel of the North Korean armed forces. The Joint Chiefs of Staff oversee operations, including combat operations. The Political Office of the North Korean Army is responsible for the political leadership of the armed forces.