O Jin-u
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (June 2013) |
O Jin-u | |
---|---|
오진우 | |
First Vice Chairmen of the Minister of People's Armed Forces | |
In office May 1976 – February 25, 1995 | |
Leader | Kim Il Sung Kim Jong Il |
Preceded by | Choe Hyon |
Succeeded by | Choe Kwang |
Chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army | |
In office December 1968 – September 1979 | |
Leader | Kim Il-sung |
Preceded by | Choe Kwang |
Succeeded by | O Kuk-ryol |
In office February 1988 – February 1995 | |
Preceded by | O Kuk-ryol |
Succeeded by | Choe Kwang |
Director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army | |
In office 1967–1968 | |
Leader | Kim Il Sung Kim Jong Il |
In office 1979–1995 | |
Succeeded by | Jo Myong-rok |
Commander of the Supreme Guard Command | |
In office 1945–1946 | |
Leader | Kim Il Sung |
Personal details | |
Born | Kankyōnan-dō (South Hamgyong Province), Korea, Empire of Japan | March 8, 1917
Died | February 25, 1995 Pyongyang, North Korea | (aged 77)
Political party | Workers' Party of Korea |
Children |
|
Awards | Marshal of the Korean People's Army |
Commands | |
Battles/wars | See battles
|
Korean name | |
Hangul | 오진우 |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | O Jinu |
McCune–Reischauer | O Chinu |
O Jin-u (
Career
O was born in Bukcheong,
O started the
O Jin-u is held responsible for the
A deputy to the
After Kim Jong Il was made Chairman of the National Defence Commission in 1993, O replaced him as its first vice-chairman. In 1990, after the collapse of the socialist bloc, he led the emergency system. He also was the second-ranking member of the Kim Il-sung funeral committee in 1994, immediately beneath Kim Jong Il. He was also the last surviving WPK Presidium member along with the new leader.
According to the testimony of film director Shin Sang-ok, who was abducted from North Korea, "O Jin-u once said that if he was drunk, he would wipe out Busan in a week if the general commanded him. Lunch in Daejeon, dinner in Busan... "
In January 2017, it was reported that his three sons, O Il-hun, O Il-jong and O Il-su had been "purged" by Kim Jong Un.[3] No official reason was given for why they were purged; however, it is believed that Kim Jong Un viewed their relation to O as a possible threat to his rule of the DPRK.[3] Considering how revered O was in the DPRK (still having the title of "Revolutionary Martyr"), the incident shocked observers, as respected officials' relatives tended to be well taken care of.[3] However, in contradiction to this report, in 2021, O Il-jong was elected as a member of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea.
Illness and death
O Jin-u, who had been victorious in the North Korean regime, suffered a worsening case of lung cancer, and his frequency of public appearances decreased significantly during this time. He went to France to receive treatment under Kim Jong Il's special consideration, but he did not show any signs of recovery and finally died in February 1995 while fighting the disease in Pyongyang, a year after
A funeral committee of 240 members was appointed for O.[5] It included:[6]
- Kim Jong Il
- Kang Song-san
- Ri Jong-ok
- Pak Song-chol
- Kim Yong-ju
- Kim Yong-nam
- Choe Kwang
- Kye Ung-thae
- Chon Pyong-ho
- Han Song-yong
- So Yun-sok
- Kim Chol-man
- Choe Tae-pok
- Choe Yong-nim
- Hong Song-nam
- Yang Hyong-sop
- Hong Sok-hyong
- Yon Hyon-muk
Awards and honors
A frame with O's awards and honors was displayed during his funeral, showing all the decorations he had received.[7]
Hero of the Republic, twice
Order of Kim Il Sung, three times
Order of the National Flag First Class, thirteen times
Order of Freedom and Independence First Class, seven times
Order of Korean Labour, four times
Commemorative Order "Foundation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea"
Commemorative Order "Anniversary of the Foundation of the People's Army"
Order of Military Service Honour First Class
Commemorative Order "30th Anniversary of the Agricultural Presentation"
Order of the National Flag Second Class, three times
Order of Freedom and Independence Second Class, twice
Order of the National Flag Third Class, twice
Commemorative Order "Capital Construction"
Commemorative Order "60th Anniversary of the People's Army"
Commemorative Order "40th Anniversary of Fatherland Liberation War Victory"
Commemorative Medal "Fatherland Liberation"
Commemorative Medal "The Foundation of the People's Republic of Korea", twice
Medal of Military Service Honour
Works
- Kim Il; Choe Hyon; Pak Sung-chul; O Jin-u; et al. (1982). Twenty-year-long Anti-Japanese Revolution Under the Red Sunrays: September 1931 – February 1936. Vol. 2. Pyongyang: OCLC 914716941.
- O Jin-u (1970). "Speech by Chief of General Staff Oh Jin Woo [Speeches at the Pyongyang mass rally 'in support of the Chinese people's struggle against U.S. imperialism and for the liberation of Taiwan' (June 27, 1970)]". People of Asia: Unite and Drive the U.S. Agressors Out of Asia!. Peking: Foreign Languages Press. pp. 95–114. OCLC 204899.
- — (1974). "Once All the People Are Armed, They Can Drive Back Any Enemy". Establishing the People's Revolutionary Government: A Genuine People's Power. Pyongyang: OCLC 441622192.
- — (1975). "The Gun Report that Rumbled in North Manchuria". Victory at Laoheishan. Pyongyang: OCLC 449795434.
- — (1977). "On an Expedition to North Manchuria". Taking a Machine Gun Himself. Pyongyang: OCLC 6423895.
References
- ^ Kim Jong Il. Short Biography.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-85743-255-8.
- ^ a b c "Jong-un purges three sons of revered O Jin-u". 24 January 2017.
- ^ WuDunn, Sheryl (February 25, 1995). "Oh Jin-Woo, the Defense Minister of North Korea, is Dead at 77". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
- ISSN 1350-6900.
- ISBN 1-58487-257-8. Archived from the original(PDF) on 13 February 2019.
- ^ North Korean TV State funeral of O Jin-u | February 1995 (KCTV), retrieved 2023-01-09
Sources
- Martin, Bradly K. (2004). Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader: A History of North Korea and the Kim Dynasty. New York: Thomas Dunne. pp. 61–62. ISBN 0-312-32221-6.
External links
- "O Jin U". Private Institute for Korean Studies in Japan. Archived from the original on December 18, 2005. Retrieved 2008-02-03.