Choe Hyon

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

In this
Choe
.
Choe Hyon
최현
National Defense Commission
In office
28 December 1972 – 9 April 1982
Serving with O Jin-u and O Paek-yong
ChairmanKim Il Sung
Member of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea
In office
1970s–1982
LeaderKim Il Sung
Minister of People's Armed Forces
In office
25 December 1972 – 15 December 1977
PremierPak Song-chol
Kim Il
Preceded byKim Chang-bong
Succeeded byO Jin-u
Personal details
Born(1907-05-06)6 May 1907
Korean
Political partyWorkers' Party of Korea
Other political
affiliations		Chinese Communist Party (before 1945)
Children
Military service
AllegianceKorean People's Army
Years of service1946–82
CommandsII Corps
1st Infantry Division
Battles/wars
See battles

Korean independence movement

Chinese Civil War

World War II

Korean War

Choe Hyon (Korean: 최현, 6 May 1907 – 9 April 1982), also known as Sai Ken (after the Japanese pronunciation of his name),[1][2] was a North Korean general and politician.

leader of North Korea, even though Choe was his senior and had a higher rank in the Chinese Communist Party
(CCP).

In North Korea, Choe assumed command of the highly strategic

Minister of People's Armed Forces, which he held from 1968 until 1976. During this time, several ex-guerrillas were purged (see Kapsan Faction Incident
), but Choe maintained his position thanks to his personal relationship with Kim Il Sung.

Early life

Original photo of Choe Hyon (center) with Kim Il-sung (left). North Korea later edited it placing Kim in the center to emphasize his role.[3]

Choe Hyon was born on 6 May 1907 in Hunchun, Jilin, China.[4][5] Choe's father was Choe Hwa-shim. Hwa-shim had served in the Hong Beom-do Unit of the Korean Independence Army in the early 1900s. His mother reportedly died in 1920 after the Japanese invaded Manchuria to suppress the March 1st Movement. As such, Choe Hyon had an advantageous revolutionary background.[6]

The Japanese arrested Choe in 1925 and put him in jail in

Soviet 88th Brigade after the United Army retreated to Soviet.[11]

The

Musan and Gansanbong.[6]

The army led by Choe was one of the main targets of the Japanese during a phase of the

Kim dynasty and lends it to Choe Hyon's son, Choe Ryong-hae, instead.[6] North Korea has subsequently edited photographs from this era to emphasize Kim's role.[3]

Choe Hyon was a close associate of Kim Il Sung during their guerrilla years.[14] Choe was older than Kim Il Sung. As such, Choe did not have to use honorifics when speaking to him,[6] although according to Kim Il Sung's autobiography With the Century, this was at Kim's insistence.[15]

Career after the liberation of Korea

The Soviets grooming Kim Il Sung for leadership of Korea. At one time, Choe seemed like the likelier candidate.

After the

Choe Yong-gon, and Choe Hyon himself, agreed among themselves to promote Kim Il Sung as the leader of the future country just before they returned to Korea in September 1945. This was at odds with the fact that both Kim Chaek and Choe Hyon were higher-ranking members in the CCP. It was decided, however, that Kim Il Sung had the best reputation and abilities. Choe consequentially missed out on the supreme leadership of the country, but became part of its core elite nonetheless.[10]

After the liberation, the Korean People's Army (KPA) was organized.[17] Choe become the commander of the Kanggye Regiment of the 1st Division. The regiment was of particular strategic importance because of its location in Kanggye.[18] Choe also led the Military Liberation College that trained special forces.[11] Additionally, Choe commanded the 2nd Division of the KPA and,[19] during the Korean War, the II Corps.[20]

After the Korean War

After the

Central Military Commission of the WPK, Choe was one of "the seven most powerful men in North Korea". With his post as the Minister of People's Armed Forces, Choe was "probably the most powerful individual in the military area other than Kim Il-sŏng himself".[24] By this time, Choe was Kim's best personal friend and renowned for his guerrilla past.[25] Choe lived in high-end neighborhood of Changkwang-dong, near Kim Il Sung's mansion.[26]

Choe became

5th Congress of the WPK in 1970 and retained this position after the 6th Congress in 1980.[31] During this time in particular, Choe had considerable power in the army.[32] He remained at the top of the military until the end of his career.[33] Choe had a talent for unconventional warfare in particular.[11]

Death and legacy

Choe published an autobiography, Over the Mountain-Waves of Mt. Paektu.

Kim Il-sung's cult of personality.[37] Choe's life is also chronicled in the 55th installment of the multi-part film Nation and Destiny.[38]

Choe died on 9 April 1982.[39] The 30th anniversary of his death in 2012 was marked prominently in North Korea. A memorial service was held,[27] wreaths were laid at the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery,[40] and the Korean Central News Agency published an article praising him. This came at a time when his son Choe Ryong-hae rose up in the ranks of the WPK and was heavily featured at the 4th Conference of the WPK and an annual meeting of the SPA.[27][41]

Choe held the title of Hero of the Republic.[4] Choe's son is Choe Ryong-hae (born 1950).[41] He also had a daughter, Gop-dan.[26]

Works

  • Choe Hyon (1970). "The Unforgettable First Meeting". Reminiscences of the Anti-Japanese Guerillas. Pyongyang:
    OCLC 869368184
    .
  • Kim Il; Choe Hyon; et al. (1981). Twenty-year-long Anti-Japanese Revolution Under the Red Sunrays: June 1926 – August 1931. Vol. 1. Pyongyang:
    OCLC 873742698
    .
  • —; —; et al. (1982). Twenty-year-long Anti-Japanese Revolution Under the Red Sunrays: September 1931 – February 1936. Vol. 2. Pyongyang:
    OCLC 914716941
    .
  • Sai Ken [Choe Hyon] (1964). 白頭の山なみを越えて [Over the Mountain-Waves of Mt. Paektu] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Chōsen Seinensha.
    OCLC 674619272
    .

In popular culture

References

  1. ^ a b Scalapino & Lee 1972, p. 1446.
  2. ^ Kim 1993, p. 324.
  3. ^ a b Lee Young-jong (3 June 2014). "Jong-un's Japan deal could be tough". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Intelligence Report 1968, p. 26.
  5. ^ 최현(崔賢) [Choe Hyon]. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Halpin, Dennis P. (23 April 2014). "Welcome to North Korea's Game of Thrones". The National Interest. p. 2. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  7. ^ "Choe Hyon, Anti-Japanese Revolutionary Fighter". KCNA. 10 April 2012. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017.
  8. ^ a b Juergen 2001, p. 279.
  9. ISBN 978-0-231-06573-3
    .
  10. ^
    ISBN 978-0-393-34753-1
    .
  11. ^ a b c Rawnsley, Adam (8 February 2018). "In 1969, North Korea Almost Unleashed World War III (And Now We Know Why)". The National Interest. p. 2. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  12. ^ Ryall, Julian (2 April 2014). "Rival to Kim's regime among 200 on verge of being purged". The Telegraph. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  13. ISBN 978-0-679-60378-8
    .
  14. ^ Kosuke Takahashi (19 July 2012). "What's Going On In North Korea?". The Diplomat. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  15. ^ Kim 1993, pp. 300–301.
  16. ^ Juergen 2001, p. 275.
  17. ^ Scalapino & Lee 1972, p. 923.
  18. ^ Scalapino & Lee 1972, p. 925.
  19. ISBN 978-1-5381-1642-5
    .
  20. ISSN 2158-9674
    .
  21. ISBN 978-0-8248-3207-0
    .
  22. ^ Intelligence Report 1968, p. iii.
  23. ^ a b Intelligence Report 1968, p. 15.
  24. ^ a b c Scalapino & Lee 1972, p. 935.
  25. ^ a b Hamm 2012, p. 144.
  26. ^ a b Martin 2007, p. 301.
  27. ^ a b c Foster-Carter, Aidan (22 April 2012). "Party Time is Over". 38 North. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  28. ^ Intelligence Report 1968, pp. 25–26.
  29. ^ Hamm 2012, p. 23.
  30. ^ "North Korea, Citing Health. Replaces Defense Minister". The New York Times. AFP. 17 May 1976. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  31. ^ Buzo 2017, Table 4.1.
  32. ^ Buzo 2017, p. 29.
  33. ^ Buzo 2017, p. 67n72.
  34. OCLC 869368184
    .
  35. ^ Kim 1993, see esp. Chapter 11. "The Watershed of the Revolution", Part 5. "Choe Hyon, a Veteran General".
  36. ^ Gabroussenko 2005, p. 69.
  37. ^ Gabroussenko 2005, p. 87.
  38. ^ Schönherr 2014, pp. 184, 187.
  39. ^ 기자, 고수석 (8 December 2016). "[인민무력부장傳(5)] 최현, 숨겨진 김정일 킹메이커(하)". 중앙일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  40. ^ "Wreaths Laid before Bust of Choe Hyon". KCNA. 10 April 2012. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  41. ^ a b "Choe Ryong Hae (Ch'oe Ryong-hae)". North Korea Leadership Watch. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.

Works cited

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Choe Hyon.
Political offices
Preceded by
Minister of People's Armed Forces

1968–1976 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Vice Minister of People's Armed Forces

–1968 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
 Chairmen of the Military Affairs Commission
December 1960s– 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
 Member of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea
31 December 1970–1982 		Succeeded by
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