O Jin-u

O Jin-u (; March 8, 1917 – February 25, 1995) was a North Korean general and politician. He was a close associate of Kim Il Sung. O served under Kim in the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, and then as commander of Kim's bodyguard. He was a founding officer of the Korean People's Army (KPA), fought in the Korean War, and was a Vice-Chairman of the National Defence Commission from 1972 until dying in 1995. He was considered to be the most powerful person in North Korea after Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, a hardliner, and a strong supporter of North Korea's nuclear program.

Career

O was born in Bukcheong, South Gyeongsang Province, to a poor peasant family. In 1933, joined anti-Japanese forces in Manchuria and began a long association with Kim Il Sung. They joined the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army in 1938, returning to Korea in 1945 as part of the 88th Separate Rifle Brigade to found North Korea. O became the leader of the Pyongyang Police Station and Kim's bodyguard. In February 1948, he transferred to the new KPA.

O started the Korean War as commander of the 43rd Division. He led the 766th Independent Infantry Regiment during the Battle of the Pusan Perimeter. After the war he was rapidly promoted through the military and political hierarchy. He was appointed chief of staff of the Korean People's Air Force in 1958, vice-minister of the Ministry of People's Security in 1962, General in 1963, director of the KPA General Political Bureau in 1967 and Chief of the General Staff in 1968. In the Workers' Party of Korea, he joined the Central Committee in 1954, the Political Committee in 1966, the Secretariat in 1968 and the Presidium in 1977.

O Jin-u is held responsible for the Korean axe murder incident and Rangoon bombing as head of the KPA. He helped Kim Il Sung maintain control of the military. O initially supported Kim Pyong-il succession Kim Il Sung; Kim Jong Il did not have military experience and did not look like an orthodox communist to O. O's switch to support Kim Jong Il was likely the decisive factor in securing the latter's succession. According to top officials, O "proposed" as Kim Il Sung heir at a Central Committee plenum in 1974. and helped him take control of the military; O championed Kim Jong Il's cause, particularly within the military. 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 Kim Il Sung. Since O was a major supporter for Kim Jong Il's succession, which had not been fully realized at the time of his death, the event was seen as a setback for Kim. After O's death, Kim Jong Il left the minister's position vacant for more than seven months before naming a new minister, Choi Kwang. O Jin-u is deeply imprinted with a warlike appearance, and the first person that comes to mind when many people think of the North Korean People's Army is O Jin-u.

A funeral committee of 240 members was appointed for O. It included:

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 Kim Jong-Su 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.

80px Commemorative Order "Foundation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea"

80px Commemorative Order "Anniversary of the Foundation of the People's Army"

80px Commemorative Order "30th Anniversary of the Agricultural Presentation"

80px Commemorative Order "60th Anniversary of the People's Army"

80px Commemorative Order "40th Anniversary of Fatherland Liberation War Victory"

Works