Kim Yong-hyun, professor of North Korean Studies in Dongguk University

At the first meeting of the 12th Supreme People’s Assembly, Kim Jong-il was reelected as chairman of the National Defense Commission of North Korea (NDC), while Chang Sung-taek, Director of Administration Department of the Workers’ Party of Korea, also became a member of the NDC. The NDC has now expanded and grown stronger in terms of its members and systemic strength. A new stable foundation and chain of command has been set in place for the “post-Kim Jong-il system.”

Of primary note has been the “splendid rise” of Chang Sung-taek, who received the role of serving as an overall administrator for state affairs capable of replacing the ailing Kim. Chang is expected to rise in the future as a “delegated authority” in all domains, including the military and economic sectors. He will also be playing a central role in the NDC.

The increase in the NDC’s membership at this Assembly meeting indicates that the commission has risen as an organ of state authority, and is seen as the supreme decision-making body for state management. In addition to Chang‘s inclusion, new core officials were added in the munitions industry and in national security. The NDC is expected to oversee and mediate relations between the party, government and military as the core unit responsible for crisis management and the overall maintenance of the political system.

Also noteworthy was the fact that amendments were announced for the Constitution, the first in 11 years. Though the specific content is unknown, analysts speculate that the amendments provide institutional support for the status and function of the NDC. They are also predicting that phrases emphasizing the songun policy were added. Songun is North Korea’s military-first policy that emphasizes the role of the military in state management, adopted by Kim Jong-il in the mid 1990s. This would indicate that the view of songun policy has been transformed from serving as an operating the system into a solid driving force for development and maintenance of the political system.

Rather than marking changes, the launching of Kim Jong-il‘s third term has so far placed an emphasis on political stability, indicating a desire to continuously develop the munitions industry while establishing law and order through increased national security and strengthening internal unity. Through the rise of Chang Sung-taek and the strengthening of the NDC’s role, a stable foundation has been set in place for managing the process of building a successor system.

Despite the desire for stability,　North Korean is still confronted with several issues to resolve. They include a generational change, economic recovery, a resolution on nuclear issues, and a need for improved foreign relations, none of which will be easy. It is challenging territory, where North Korea has no margin left for wavering and no possibility for evasion. Will the new figures and third-term system that have arrived on the scene be able to deal with the challenges of the times? It remains to be seen.

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