Ho Jong-man
Ho Jong-man | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 February 1935 |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 허종만 |
| Hanja | 許宗萬 |
| RR | Heo Jongman |
| MR | Hŏ Chongman |
Ho Jong-man (Korean: 허종만; born 22 February 1935 in Goseong County) is a North Korean politician who served as the third chairman of Chongryon, an association of North Korean residents in Japan. Formerly vice-chairman of the association since July 1993, he succeeded So Man-sul in May 2012 after his death. He is also a deputy of the Supreme People's Assembly.
In Japan, with which there are no diplomatic relations, he is the de facto ambassador from North Korea.[1]
Biography
Ho Jong-man was born on 22 February 1935 in South Gyeongsang Province, located in Goseong County (now in South Korea) during the Japanese occupation of Korea,[2] and later moved to Japan with his family. In 1955, he was involved in the formation of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, also known as Chongryon, and served as chairman of the Kanagawa Prefecture headquarters. In 1959, he was elected chairman of Chongryon. He then served as director of the International Affairs Bureau of the Central Headquarters, and in September 1986, he became the deputy chairman of the Central Committee of the General Assembly.[3] During that time, he worked at Chogin Credit Union, where he had control over personnel affairs.[4] In July 1993, he was promoted to the position of deputy speaker, officially assuming real power.[5] In Japan, with which there are no diplomatic relations, he is the de facto ambassador from North Korea.[6]
On May 19, 2012, following So Man-sul's death in February of the same year,[5][7] Ho took over as the third chairman of the General Federation of Korea.[8] He later became a deputy member through the 2019 North Korean parliamentary election.[9] He was elected in the 11th election of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea in August 2003,[10] and re-elected in the 12th election of the Supreme People's Assembly in March 2009.[11] In March 2014, he was re-elected in the 13th election of the Supreme People's Assembly, and in May, he was re-elected as chairman of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan.[12]
On 26 March 2015, his home was searched along with that of Vice Chairman Nam Seung-woo, as he was an associate of the president of a trading company who was arrested for illegally importing North Korean matsutake, which were subject to economic sanctions.[13] On April 9, the Supreme People's Assembly was held in North Korea, but Nam attended from the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan.[14]
In the 2019 North Korean parliamentary election, Ho was re-elected from the Gokdong constituency (Myonggan County, North Hamgyong Province).[9]
Awards and honors
In February 2013, Ho won the Hero of Labor, the Golden Shield Medal and the First Class National Flag Medal.[15] In the 14 February 2020 edition of the Rodong Sinmun, it was announced that the Order of the National Flag 1st Class and the title of Hero of Labor had been awarded to the three generations of leaders for "greatly contributing to the achievement of the Juche revolution and the patriotic achievements of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan with absolute loyalty."[9]
References
- ↑ "北の"集金マシン"許宗萬体制に捜査のメス 拉致再調査に「圧力」". Sankei Shimbun. 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 31 March 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
- ↑ "金正恩氏が総連議長に誕生日の祝電 「異例ずくめ」で親密ぶりアピール" [Kim Jong Un sends birthday congratulatory telegram to Chongryon chairman, highlighting their close ties through a series of "unprecedented" gestures.]. Daily NK (in Japanese). 23 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
- ↑ "有力者「許議長」、昨年9月には約8年ぶり平壌訪問も". Sankei Shimbun. 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 28 March 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ↑ "「マツタケ不正輸入」で注目の朝鮮総連議長、実は全国高校サッカーの元スター選手". Daily NK. 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 2 September 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
- 1 2 "朝鮮総連新議長に許宗萬氏 01年以来の選出". 47NEWS (in Japanese). 47NEWS. 19 May 2012. Archived from the original on 23 January 2015.
- ↑ "北の"集金マシン"許宗萬体制に捜査のメス 拉致再調査に「圧力」" [Investigation Targets North Korea's "Fundraising Machine" Led by Ho Jong-man; Move Seen as "Pressure" Regarding Abduction Re-investigation] (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 31 March 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
- ↑ "朝鮮総連新議長に許宗萬氏" (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun News. 19 May 2012. Archived from the original on 19 May 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
- ↑ "朝鮮総連、３代目議長に許宗萬氏を選出" [Chongryon elects Ho Jong-man as third-generation chairman]. The Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). 19 May 2012. Archived from the original on 15 March 2014.
- 1 2 3 북 김정은, 최고인민회의 대의원 처음 빠져. Tong Il News (in Korean). 12 March 2019. Archived from the original on 8 September 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
- ↑ "金総書記100%賛成で当選 代議員数は687人" [General Secretary Kim elected with 100% approval; 687 deputies.] (in Japanese). 47NEWS. 4 August 2003. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ↑ "在日同胞6人も選出" [Six Koreans living in Japan were also selected]. Megalodon (in Japanese). 朝鮮新報. 11 March 2009. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ↑ "許宗萬氏を議長に再任し閉幕 朝鮮総連全体大会" [Chongryon General Congress Concludes with Re-election of Ho Jong-man as Chairman] (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. 25 May 2014. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ↑ "朝鮮総連議長宅を捜索 マツタケ不正輸入の関連先" [Chongryon Chairman's Home Searched in Connection with Illegal Matsutake Mushroom Imports] (in Japanese). 日本経済新聞. 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 28 March 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
- ↑ "総連副議長が訪朝、最高人民会議に出席" [Chongryon Vice Chairman Visits North Korea, Attends Supreme People's Assembly] (in Japanese). The Nikkei. 8 April 2015. Archived from the original on 2 September 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ↑ Ahn, Yun-seok (23 February 2020). "北 김정은, 허종만 조총련 의장 85회 생일 축전...노력영웅 칭호 수여" [North Korea's Kim Jong Un sends congratulatory message for Chongryon Chairman Ho Jong-man's 85th birthday; awards him the title of "Hero of Labor."]. SP News (in Korean).