Kim Yong Nam, who served as North Korea's former ceremonial head of state and held various diplomatic roles under three generations of the country's leadership, has died at the age of 97. His death was attributed to multiple organ failure on November 3, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). He was noted for his longevity in high-ranking positions, serving from the Kim Il Sung era until his retirement in 2019.
Death and Official Announcement
North Korea's state media, KCNA, announced the death of Kim Yong Nam due to multiple organ failure on November 3. The agency described him as an "old-generation revolutionary who left extraordinary achievements in the development history of our party and country." A state funeral has been held in his honor.
Career and Political Tenure
Born when the Korean peninsula was under Japanese colonial rule, Kim Yong Nam's family was described by KCNA as "anti-Japanese patriots." He pursued his education at Kim Il Sung University in Pyongyang and also studied in Moscow, commencing his career in the 1950s.
He rose through the ranks of the ruling party, eventually becoming foreign minister. From 1998 to 2019, he held the role of president of the Supreme People's Assembly. This position designated him as the country's ceremonial head of state, a role he maintained for nearly the entirety of Kim Jong Il's leadership period. While not related to the Kim family, Kim Yong Nam frequently represented North Korea on the international stage.
Kim Yong Nam's career spanned the leadership of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and Kim Jong Un. He retired in April 2019. His continuous tenure in high office was notably rare, as many other high-ranking officials in North Korea have faced demotion, labor camps, or execution for perceived actions against state policies. State media reports, for instance, mentioned the 2013 execution of Kim Jong Un's uncle, Chang Song Thaek, for "acts of treachery."
Diplomatic Engagements
Throughout his career, Kim Yong Nam engaged in significant diplomatic interactions. In 2018, he led a North Korean delegation to South Korea for the Winter Olympics, where he met with South Korea's then-President Moon Jae-in. Kim Yo Jong, sister of Kim Jong Un, was also part of this delegation.
He had previously met two other former South Korean presidents: Kim Dae-jung during an inter-Korean summit in 2000, and Roh Moo-hyun at a similar summit in 2007.
South Korea's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young offered condolences, stating that he had held "meaningful conversations about peace in the Korean peninsula" with Kim Yong Nam.
Observations on His Public Approach
Former North Korean diplomat Thae Yong Ho, who has since resettled in South Korea, provided observations on Kim Yong Nam's career approach. Thae told the BBC that Kim Yong Nam "never made his own opinions known... He had no close [allies] or enemies. He never showed any creativity. He never put out a new policy. He only repeated what the Kim family have said before." Thae further stated, "Kim Yong Nam is the perfect role model of how to survive for a long time in North Korea," attributing his longevity to avoiding criticism by maintaining a "clean" reputation.