Military career Not much is known on Kim Yong Bok's background and career. According to the South Korean government's database of North Korean elites, which contains information on more than 680 officials based on intelligence and publicly available information, only his name and position are listed. His age, place of birth, and other biographical details are unknown, although a birth date of 27 July 1957 is suggested by the
United States's
Office of Foreign Assets Control. In April 2017, Kim was promoted from
Chungjang (lieutenant general) to
Sangjang (colonel general), and was appointed as the commander of the
Special Operations Forces from the commander of the XI Corps during the commemoration of the 105th anniversary of
Kim Il Sung's birthday. The Special Forces unit under his command is considered one of the largest in the world, with about an estimated 200,000 personnel according to the
Wall Street Journal. On 17 December 2024, the South Korean government imposed independent
sanctions on Kim Yong Bok, along with fellow generals Sin Kum-chol and Ri Song-jin, for their involvement in North Korea's military cooperation with Russia during the ongoing Russia–Ukraine War. The South Korean
Ministry of Foreign Affairs designated these individuals, among 11 people and 15 entities, as targets for unilateral sanctions due to violations of multiple
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and their roles in supporting North Korea's
nuclear and missile programs. These measures followed a joint statement by the foreign ministers of South Korea, the United States, Japan, and allied countries condemning the arms trade and strategic alignment between Pyongyang and Moscow. Under the sanctions, any financial or foreign exchange transactions involving him now require prior approval from the
Financial Services Commission or
Bank of Korea, with violations subject to legal penalties under
South Korean law. The United Kingdom also set sanctions on Kim as one of the 107 sanctions list against companies and individuals involved in the Russo-Ukrainian war. On 9 May 2025, during Russia's
that year's Victory Day celebrations,
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with a delegation of North Korean military officials in Moscow's
Red Square. Leading the delegation was Colonel General Kim Yong Bok who was the first to greet the president. During the ceremony, Putin shook hands with Kim Yong Bok and remarked, "Thank you very much to all your fighters, your heroes. Best wishes." In response, Kim conveyed his congratulations on the Victory Day celebrations. This response was then followed by an open embrace by Putin. Other delegations include,
Ri Chang Ho, head of the
Reconnaissance General Bureau, and
Sin Kum Chol, director of the General Staff's Operations Bureau. These officials are under sanctions by South Korea, the United States, and the European Union for their roles in North Korea's military cooperation with Russia.
Political career In 2016, Kim Yong Bok was elected to the
7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. He was re-elected to the
8th Central Committee in 2021. ==References==