North Korea announces new army chief of staff

The announcement of General Pak Jong-chon as the chief of the general staff was made by leader Kim Jong-un at a meeting, the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on the evening of September 6. General Pak will succeed Ri Yong-gil, a senior North Korean military officer and military operations expert, who has held the position since 2013.

Pak's promotion from artillery commander is a sign that North Korea may be focusing on developing a new weapon, said Ahn Chan-il, a North Korean defector who works as a researcher in Seoul, South Korea.

According to Ahn, North Korea seems to feel threatened after South Korea deployed advanced F-35 fighters earlier this year that are capable of stealth against radar waves.

"It is also noteworthy that General Pak frequently appears alongside Kim during new weapons tests," Ahn said. "With Pak becoming chief of the general staff, Pyongyang is likely to prioritize artillery forces, in addition to new missile systems."

Pak accompanied the North Korean leader when he oversaw the test of what North Korea called a “new-type tactical guided missile” in August. He was also present when Kim Jong-un inspected the test of a “newly developed multiple launch guided rocket system” in July.

Pak's promotion comes as working-level nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington remain deadlocked, despite a June agreement between leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump to restart the process. Pyongyang has not responded to US calls to resume talks, warning that its hopes for a deal with the US are "disappearing".