Has Kim Yong Chol Retired? (updated 19 November)

update

Kim Yong Chol attended the graveside service held as part of Kim Yong Nam’s state funeral.  At the event, he stood with WPK Central Committee department directors and deputy directors, none of whom have Political Bureau status

Kim Yong Chol, former head of the Reconnaissance General Bureau [RGB] and previously North Korea’s top official on inter-Korean policy, may have finally retired.  Kim’s name was not called or listed on the state funeral committee for Kim Yong Nam when it was disseminated in state media on 3 November.  He attended the SPA session on 20 and 21 September and the anniversary parade on 10 October.

To paraphrase Samuel Clemens, rumors and observations of Kim Yong Chol retiring or being sidelined have been greatly exaggerated.   This would be the sixth time in the last seven years that Kim appears to be (or rumored) exiting active service in the regime.   His absence from the Kim Yong Nam funeral committee might indicate Kim Yong Chol no longer has status on the WPK Political Bureau, but retained his WPK Central Committee Adviser position which are traditionally held by semi-retired  and retired core elites.