O Kuk-ryol | |
|---|---|
| 오극렬 | |
 | |
| Vice-Chairman of the National Defence Commission | |
| In office April 2009 – 30 June 2016 | |
| Leader | |
| Succeeded by | Commission abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 January 1930[1] Onjō, Kankyōhoku-dō, Korea, Empire of Japan |
| Died | 9 February 2023 (aged 93) |
| Nationality | North Korean |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | North Korea |
| Branch/service | Korean People's Army |
| Rank | General |
| Korean name | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | 오극렬 |
| Hancha | 呉克烈 |
| Revised Romanization | O Geuk-ryeol |
| McCune–Reischauer | O Kŭngnyŏl |
O Kuk-ryol (Korean: 오극렬; Hancha: 呉克烈, 7 January 1930[1] – 9 February 2023) was a North Korean military general. He was Chief of General Staff of the Korean People's Army from 1979 to 1988. He also served as vice-chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea, head of the Operations Department from April 2009 to June 2016.[2] Foreign observers referred to O as the second most powerful man in North Korea.[3]
A childhood friend of Kim Jong Il, O was one of Kim's allies elected to the Politburo in 1980. He later led North Korean programs for cyberwarfare, counterfeiting, and nuclear weapons.
- ^ a b "Sanctions List Search - O". US Treasury. Archived from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
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