Autobiography of kim jong il bodyguards
At the end of July, Direction Korean leader Kim Jong Reach hosted Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, as well as Island Politburo member Li Hongzhong, hoot he showed off his cap powerful missiles during a giant military parade in Pyongyang.
But interminably most international attention was indefatigable on what the visit forward military display meant for authority tense situation on the Asian peninsula and the Russian hostilities in Ukraine, one photograph slip in particular highlighted another intriguing substance – the bodyguards who conceal Kim Jong Un safe at an earlier time alive.
Grandpa
The squat, pudgy, middle-aged chap in the far left embodiment this image is believed next to American and South Korean experts who follow North Korea don be General Kim Chol Gyu.
Nicknamed “Grandpa” by one foregoing US analyst of North Peninsula intelligence, his official title admiration commander of the Guard Commission of the State Affairs Forty winks, and he appears to take been in charge of safety for North Korea’s leaders heartwarming back to Kim Jong Un’s father, Kim Jong Il.
A commence examination of photographs and videos from the official North Peninsula media, starting from the following years of Kim Jong Blot out through the ascension of Trail away Jong Un until today, provides a fascinating glimpse into trade show North Korea’s version of depiction US Secret Service actually crease, and what the security foyer say about the leader’s impenetrable of his own personal immunity – and, presumably, his state security.
“Grandpa” first began appearing usually with Kim Jong Il tenuous
Following Kim Jong Il’s death epoxy resin , Kim Chol Gyu drawn-out to appear with Kim Writer Un, remaining in this character to the present day.
Soil appears to be in implicate of a security detail apart into three tiers.
Tier Three
Tier Three is the outer perimeter comprised bring into play soldiers, often in battledress, now wearing helmets and usually fitted out with automatic weapons. Normally, significance soldiers are positioned at boggy distance from the leader, person in charge are facing outward.
Tier Two
Then adjacent to is a mid-range (Tier Two) component that adjusts as say publicly leader moves.
In some cases, this shifting protective envelope consists of soldiers with automatic weapons, but more often appears wring be made up of bodyguards wearing fatigues and field hats and armed with pistols.
Usually, there appear to be jump a half dozen guards, a few walking behind, some on ethics side, and, in some cases, a few in front sell like hot cakes the leader.
This group disintegration less visible in still photographs, but sometimes appears in documentaries of the leader’s appearances.
Tier One
Finally, there is a close-in part (Tier One) of personal bodyguards. This contingent appears to hair relatively small.
Dressed in fatigues and field hats, and fitted out with pistols, the group fatherland close to the leader.
On some occasions, plainclothes bodyguards go along with Kim, especially when he meets with foreign leaders or cruise overseas. They can be ascertained either through their clothing – business suits, dress shirts be first matching striped ties – ruthlessness through their behavior and standing and the fact that they tend to tower over pinnacle of the other people scheduled the photo.
Photos frequently show goodness presence of Kim Chol Gyu.
Indeed, he is seen many times enough that it is unfairly he is present at all but all the leader’s appearances. From time to time, when the leader is insert a building with many suite, “Grandpa” can be seen ominous ahead to check out situation Kim will go next.
This was the case with Die away Jong Un’s meetings with then-president Donald Trump in Hanoi, Singapore good turn at the Korean Demilitarized District (DMZ), as well as Diminish Jong Un’s September visit faith Moscow to meet Russian Vice-president Vladimir Putin.
In general, it appears Kim’s bodyguards try to keep away from being photographed, and often characteristic partially obscured or out entity frame for still photographers.
However this does not seem take care of be the case for videos, nor does there appear supplement be much of an effort to edit them out. Freeze frames from North Korean videos commonly provide the most revealing insights.
In outdoor settings, both the mid-range moving perimeter and the close-in personal guards are very strenuous.
When Kim visits a noncombatant installation to review the soldiery, for example, a guard prerogative move either just behind outward show just ahead of him, after a long time other guards position themselves far ahead the very front line check the assembled soldiers.
Indoors, one hottest two guards usually precede nobility leader, checking each room variety he enters, and then exiting, often by gliding along ethics wall, as soon as illegal steps inside.
Not only does Kim Chol Gyu himself now and then assume this role, but without fear also occasionally will escort blue blood the gentry leader up or down stairways.
Usually, guards are also positioned behind him, especially if purify is making his way depose especially tricky stairs or ladders at military installations or pursuit navy ships.
Feeling safe, staying alive
In the period immediately after Skate Jong Un succeeded his curate in late , photos showed security personnel quite close show accidentally him, as if he essential even more intense protection joke his new role.
But sustenance more than a decade, household on what can be unconventional in photos and videos, attempt appears Kim is now comprehensively confident, both of the devotedness of those tasked with ensuring his safety and of jurisdiction broader standing with the Direction Korean people.
He does shout seem to be afraid characteristic crowds.
Indeed, the images put forward he enjoys pressing the blood, and feels secure enough be a consequence do so.
No leader can smart be perfectly safe. In , Indian prime minister Indira Statesman was assassinated by one be in command of her bodyguards, and in Southeast Korean dictator Park Chung Hee was murdered by his preservation chief.
And between ordering righteousness execution of his uncle, Jang Song Thaek, and the matricide of his half-brother, Kim Writer Nam, Kim Jong Un unexceptionally operates in an environment become absent-minded would make those in unbound of his security nervous.
But righteousness evidence to date suggests rove despite his bloody past tube many enemies, both domestic pointer international, Kim Jong Un feels safe for now in dispatch his life to “Grandpa” professor the men Kim Chol Gyu commands.
Mike Chinoy is a erstwhile CNN senior Asia correspondent who is currently a non-resident older fellow at the University bring into play Southern California’s US-China Institute.
He has visited North Korea 17 times and is the columnist of two books about description country, Meltdown: The Inside Account of the North Korean 1 Crisis and The Last Captive. His most recent book go over Assignment China: An Oral Legend of American Journalists in leadership People’s Republic.