▲ This file photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 13, 2025, shows the North's leader Kim Jong-un (C), surrounded by his bodyguards holding black suitcases (circled in red) during his inspection of a regional hospital under construction the previous day (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
▲ This file image, captured from footage of North Korea's state-run TV station on Dec. 29, 2025, shows Ri Il-whan, a party secretary, speaking at the opening ceremony of a regional factory in Unsan County, South Pyongan Province, the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) NK officials-reshuffle

(LEAD) N. Korea replaces top military officials guarding Kim Jong-un: unification ministry

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details; RECASTS headline)

SEOUL, Jan. 13 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has replaced its top military officials in charge of guarding leader Kim Jong-un, the unification ministry said Tuesday, with Seoul's spy agency assessing the North as raising the level of security for Kim on assassination concerns.

North Korea has changed the chiefs of three major North Korean units defending the security of the North's leader -- the Guard Office of the ruling party, the Guard Department of the State Affairs Commission and the Bodyguard Command -- the ministry said in its analysis of the major reshuffle of North Korean officials in 2025.

The ministry did not disclose the exact timing or the reason for the replacement, but it said the changed chiefs of such agencies were detected during a military parade marking the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in October 2025.

Song Jun-sol serves as the chief of the Guard Office in charge of protecting Kim and his family members. Ro Kyong-chol was appointed to lead the Guard Department tasked with guarding Kim during public events. Ra Chol-jin assumed the chief of the Bodyguard Command of the Korean People's Army (KPA) in charge of facility security, such as Kim's residence.

But Kim Yong-ho, the chief of the Bodyguard Department, known as the North's secret service, has retained his post, the ministry said.

"It is noticeable that North Korea has replaced officials in charge of guarding the 'supreme leader' in a relatively short period of time," a ministry official said.

In October 2024, the National Intelligence Service, Seoul's spy agency, told lawmakers that the North has raised the level of security for Kim in consideration of possible attempts to assassin him.

Meanwhile, Ri Pyong-chol, a top North Korean military official, is presumed to be removed from the post of vice chairman of the WPK's Military Central Commission, the ministry said. His age of 78 could be one of the reasons for the reshuffle.

North Korea saw the number of members of the presidium of the political bureau fall to four from the previous five with Ri's presumed demotion to a member. With Ri's removal, Pak Jong-chon has become the sole vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Ri Il-hwan, a party secretary handling propaganda and agitation, is presumed to assume some roles that should be taken by former Premier Kim Tok-hun, a party secretary in charge of economic affairs. Ri was seen accompanying the leader Kim on major inspections, including opening ceremonies of regional factories.

North Korea also appears to have increased the number of the posts of first vice defense minister and first vice-chief of the KPA General Staff to two from one.

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