Promotions Fail to Fill Top Military Post

North Korea has appointed Vice Marshal Kim Il Chol as first vice defense minister, a post left vacant by the death of Kim Kwang Jin in February, a senior South Korean government official said. But the Stalinist state has yet to appoint a defense minister to succeed Choe Kwang, who also died in February, said Park Sung Hoon, a director general at the South’s National Unification Ministry. Park said Kim Il Chol was one of four generals promoted to vice marshal Sunday. He said Kim Il Chol was the most senior military officer among 123 generals North Korean leader Kim Jong Il promoted Sunday. It was the biggest number of promotions announced by North Korea since the death of President Kim Il Sung in 1994. Park said the promotions appeared to be timed to mark the birthday today of Kim Il Sung, who named his son Jong Il as his heir before his death.