Jang Sung-taek (alternatively Jang Song Thaek or Chang Sung-taek; 2 February 1946 – 12 December 2013) was a leading figure in the government of North Korea. He was married to Kim Kyong-hui, aunt of Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader of North Korea.

Although the precise extent of Jang Sung-taek's power and importance cannot be confirmed, in 2008 South Korean government officials and academic North Korea watchers suggested that he may have taken on de facto leadership over North Korea due to Kim Jong-il's ailing health, and later death. Jang was Vice-Chairman of the National Defence Commission, a position considered second only to that of the Supreme Leader. It's believed he was promoted to four-star general around the time of Kim Jong-il's death as his first appearance in uniform was while visiting Kim lying in state. Jang was termed as Kim Jong-un's "key policy adviser".

He was abruptly accused of being a counter-revolutionary, stripped of all his posts and expelled from the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in December 2013. Damnatio memoriae was applied, with his photos retroactively removed from official media and his image digitally removed from photos with other Korean leaders. On 13 December North Korea state media announced he had been executed.

Personal life

Jang was born in Kangwon-do. He graduated from the Kim Il-sung Senior High School before leaving for Moscow, where he studied between 1968 and 1972. Upon his return, he married Kim Kyong-hui, the younger sister of Kim Jong-il. The couple had a daughter, Jang Kum-song (1977–2006), who lived overseas in Paris as an international student; she refused an order to return to Pyongyang and then committed suicide in September 2006, reportedly due to Jang and his wife Kim's opposition to her relationship with her boyfriend.

Career

Early career

Jang was formerly an instructor to the Pyongyang Party Committee, and later the vice director of the Workers' Party of Korea's Organisation and Guidance Department since 1982, being first assigned to youth policies and then to capital city construction. In 1989, he was co-opted in the WPK Central Committee as an alternate member, and promoted to full member in 1992, when he was also appointed first deputy director of the Organization and Guidance Department, with responsibility over security activities.

Jang had been identified by outside analysts as well as North Korean defectorHwang Jang-yop as a possible successor to Kim Jong-il; however, on 25 November 2004, South Korea's National Assembly heard testimony that he had been purged from his position.

Rehabilitation

Jang re-emerged in March 2006, accompanying Kim Jong-il on an official visit to China. In October 2007, the Korean Central News Agency confirmed that Jang had been promoted to the newly recreated post of first vice-director of the Workers' Party of Korea, with oversight responsibility for the police, judiciary, and other areas of internal security; Jang attended South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun's luncheon during the latter's visit to the North. It was later revealed that Jang had been actually appointed director of the Administration Department, an old agency of the Workers' Party abolished in 1990 and re-created by splitting the Organization Department.

Jang was elected to the powerful National Defence Commission in April 2009, and one of its vice-chairmen in June 2010. The NDC is North Korea's de facto supreme decision making body. Thus, Jang's promotion amounts to something of an executive deputy role, second only to Kim Jong-Il. It is speculated that the move was part of posturing to make Kim Jong-Il's son Kim Jong-un the next leader of North Korea. Jang's position in North Korean politics was also ostensibly boosted by the death of Ri Je-gang, a senior leader who was tipped by Kim Jong-il as a crucial overseer of the succession campaign.

Later, at the WPK Conference held in September 2010, he was appointed alternate member of the Politburo and confirmed Administration Department director at the first meeting of the Party Central Committee after 17 years.

Under Kim Jong-un

On 25 December 2011, North Korean television Sunday showed Jang in the uniform of a general. A Seoul official familiar with North Korea affairs said it was the first time Jang has been shown on state television in a military uniform. His appearance suggested that Jang has secured a key role in the North's powerful military, which has pledged its allegiance to Kim Jong-un. Jang's importance in the new regime continued to be demonstrated during his 2012 visit to China: various aspects of the visit echoed protocol which had only ever been followed in the past for Kim Jong-il, including half of his entourage arriving ahead of time as an "advance party", and even Chinese ambassador to North Korea Liu Hongcai returning to China beforehand to greet Jang upon his arrival.

On 17 August 2012, Jang met with China's Premier Wen Jiabao in Ziguangge, Zhongnanhai. Also, Jang met with China's president Hu Jintao, Wang Jiarui, head of China's International Department of the CPC Central Committee and Minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission, Zhang Ping, Minister of Finance Xie Xuren, Minister of Commerce Chen Deming, Liaoning provincial party chief Wang Min, Jilin provincial party chief Sun Zhengcai, and Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun. He was the head of a delegation of the joint steering committee for developing and managing the Rason Economic and Trade Zone and the Hwanggumphyong and Wihwa Islands Economic Zone. In the announcement, he was listed as chief of the central administrative department of the Workers' Party of Korea, a member of the WPK Political Bureau, and vice-chairman of the National Defense Commission. Jang said Kim Jong-un believed that bilateral relations with China are important and that the "profound friendship will be passed on from generation to generation". At the meeting with Wen, Jang said "The DPRK is willing to closely cooperate with China to accelerate relevant efforts and push forward cooperation in developing economic zones."

On 4 November 2012, the WPK Central Committee Politburo adopted a decision on establishing the State Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Commission, with Jang Song-thaek as its chairman.

In January 2013, speculation arose that Jang had been quietly promoted to top decision-making Politburo Presidium member, as his official hierarchy position was elevated, displacing then-Chief of General Staff Hyon Yong-chol and his own wife Kim Kyong-hui. Scholars argued that Jang may be appointed president of the Supreme People's Assembly Presidium (nominal head of state) or premier, replacing then office-holders who were in their 80s. Jang Sung-taek promoted the construction of a new bridge over the Yalu River between the Chinese city of Dandong and the Korean city of Sinuiju. The bridge is nearly completed.

Dismissal, arrest, and execution

Jang Sung-taek was publicly expelled from the WPK on 8 December 2013. Prior to his dismissal his appearances had been obscured or edited out from an October news report that was re-aired on 7 December on North Korean television. South Korean intelligence first reported on 3 December that Jang had been removed from his post. He had not been seen in public since two associates of his — Lee Yong-ha and Jang Soo-kee — were believed to have been executed in November. Lee was reportedly accused of abusing his authority, while Jang Soo-kee was found guilty of trying to organize a new faction and rejecting the system.

When North Korea announced on December 8 that Jang Sung-taek had been expelled it was attributed to a decision of the Politburo. He was accused of having committed "anti-party, counter-revolutionary factional acts", harboring "politically-motivated ambition", weakening "the party's guidance over judicial, prosecution and people's security bodies", and obstructing "the nation's economic affairs", including illicit affairs with women.

Jang's arrest at the Politburo meeting was broadcast on state television, in what has been described as "the most public dismissal of a member of the Kim family and their associates in history." This is also the first time since the 1970s that a senior political figure has been publicly arrested in a party meeting live on television.

Chinese media suggested that Jang Sung-taek's fall reflected a government agenda relatively more focused on economic development losing out to continuing a military-first policy.

On 12 December 2013 state media announced he had been executed, claiming that "despicable human scum Jang, who was worse than a dog, perpetrated thrice-cursed acts of treachery in betrayal of such profound trust and warmest paternal love shown by the party and the leader for him.” The 2700 word statement detailing the accusations also included other charges such as placing a granite monument carved with the supreme leader's words "in a shaded corner," "let[ting] the decadent capitalist lifestyle find its way to our society by distributing all sorts of pornographic pictures among his confidants," and "half-heartedly clapping, touching off towering resentment of our service personnel and people" when one of Kim Jong-Un's promotions was announced.