1. Choe Ryong-hae is a North Korean politician and military officer who currently serves as Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly and First Vice President of the State Affairs Commission, holding both positions since April 2019.
Choe Ryong-hae is a member of the Presidium of the Politburo and Vice Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea.
Choe Ryong-hae served as Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un's military second-in-command, currently being third top-ranking official in North Korea after Kim Jong Un and premier Pak Thae-song.
Choe Ryong-hae was born in Sinchon County, South Hwanghae Province, on 15 January 1950, to Choe Hyon, who fought as a guerrilla affiliated Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army alongside Kim Il Sung and subsequently served as defence minister of North Korea.
Choe Ryong-hae joined the Korean People's Army in 1967 and graduated from Kim Il Sung University as a political and economic expert.
Choe Ryong-hae was awarded the title Hero of the DPRK in 1993.
Choe Ryong-hae was replaced as first secretary of the Youth League by Ri Il-hwan at the 14th plenary meeting of the league's central committee, officially "due to his illness".
Choe Ryong-hae was facing execution but Kim Kyong-hui, only sister of then leader Kim Jong Il, intervened to save his life.
Choe Ryong-hae did not receive particular public attention until General Secretary Kim Jong-il's death in December 2011.
Choe Ryong-hae was then seen as a key asset in securing Kim Jong Un's leadership.
Choe Ryong-hae, considered a protege of Jang Song-thaek, is seen as part of a plan by Kim Jong Un to restore party control over the military after it was overturned by Kim Jong Il and his Military First Policy, particularly after Vice Marshal Ri Yong-ho's dismissal.
Choe Ryong-hae was seen inexplicably wearing the Vice Marshal insignia again at a meeting in February 2013 and became Kim Jong Un's special envoy for strategic partner China.
Choe Ryong-hae was appointed the first-ranking vice-chairman of the NDC in April 2014, apparently reinforcing his number two position, but he was replaced by newly appointed Vice Marshal Hwang Pyong-so as chief of the KPA politburo, and was officially demoted from the NDC after only five months, thus ending his involvement in military affairs.
Choe Ryong-hae was reelected as a Presidium member at the 7th Party Congress in May 2016.
In November 2014, Choe Ryong-hae brought a letter from Kim Jong Un to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
In 2017, Choe Ryong-hae was appointed to the party's Central Military Commission.