Kim Il-chol

Kim Il-chol (김일철, 1933 – September 2023) was a North Korean military officer who was a member of the National Defence Commission and Minister for Defence.

Kim was born in Pyongyang in 1933. He graduated from Mangyongdae Revolutionary School and the Soviet Union Naval Academy. Although the North Korean Army mainly depends on ground troops, Admiral Kim, who was commander of the Korean People's Navy since 1982, was in 1998 installed in the highest military position, the Minister of the People's Armed Forces. This filled a vacancy left by Choe Kwang, who died in February 1997, and indicated that he was fully trusted by Kim Jong-Il. Kim Il-chol participated as a senior delegate in the inter-Korean defense minister’s meeting held for the first time since the division of the Korean peninsula in September 2000.

Kim was appointed to the National Defence Commission in 1988. He was removed from all positions in 2010, reportedly due to his advanced age.

Kim was a member of the Korea-China Association for Civil Exchange Promotion.

Kim was awarded the Hero of the Republic, Order of Kim Il-sung, and the Order of the National Flag (1st Class).

Kim died in September 2023, at the age of 90.