Name   Kim Ki-nam Sex   Male Date of Birth   August 28, 1926 Place of Birth   Wonsan, Kangwon Province Posts Held Secretary of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers’ Party, vice chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, member of the 10th Supreme People’s Assembly Claim to Fame Diplomat, propaganda expert Education Mankyongdae Revolutionary Institute, Kim Il Sung University Profile Kim Ki-nam began his diplomatic career in 1952 as a councilor at the Foreign Ministry. He later joined the Korean Worker’s Party in 1961 as deputy chief of the science and education bureau. Five years later, he moved to the same position at the party’s propagation and agitation bureau. He then took on positions in news media, beginning with editor of Workers’ Publishing Company in 1972, editor-in-chief in 1974 and president of the North’s press association in 1977. In 1985, he returned to the propagation bureau as chief and worked there until 2001, when he was promoted to party secretary for education. He began gaining the trust of Kim Jong-il in the late 1970s, and masterminded slogans such as “Let us lead our own lives,” “Manufacture, learn and live like the Korean Liberation Army” and “Follow the juche (self-reliance) doctrine in manufacturing, learning and living.” Kim Ki-nam also handled most of the North’s important documents and congratulatory messages signed by Kim Jong-il. Hwang Jang-yop, the author of the juche doctrine who defected to South Korea in 1997, described Kim Ki-nam as having a well-rounded personality and being thorough in work. Kim Ki-nam is also one of the few figures who can give frank advice to supreme leader Kim Jong-il, though in a roundabout way.

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