Ho Jong-man (born February 22, 1935, in Goseong County)[1] 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.[2] He is also a deputy of the Supreme People's Assembly.
Ho Jong-man | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 22, 1935 Goseong County, Keishōnan-dō, Korea, Empire of Japan |
| Ho Jong-man | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | 허종만 |
|---|---|
| Hancha | 許宗萬 |
| Revised Romanization | Heo Jeongman |
| McCune–Reischauer | Hŏ Chongman |
In Japan, with which there are no diplomatic relations, he is the de facto ambassador to North Korea.[3]
Biography
editHo Jong-man was born in South Gyeongsang Province, located in Goseong County (now in South Korea) during the Japanese occupation of Korea, 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.[4] During that time, he worked at Chogin Credit Union, where he had control over personnel affairs.[5] In July 1993, he was promoted to the position of deputy speaker, officially assuming real power.[6]
On May 19, 2012, following So Man-sul's death in February of the same year,[6][7] Jong-man took over as the third chairman of the General Federation of Korea.[2] He later became a deputy member through the 2019 North Korean parliamentary election.[8] He was elected in the 11th election of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea in August 2003,[9] and re-elected in the 12th election of the Supreme People's Assembly in March 2009.[10] 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.[11]
On March 26, 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.[12] 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.[13]
In the 2019 North Korean parliamentary election, Jong-man was re-elected from the Gokdong constituency (Myonggan County, North Hamgyong Province).[14]
Awards and honors
editIn February 2013, Jong-man won the Hero of Labor, the Golden Shield Medal and the First Class National Flag Medal.[citation needed] In the February 14, 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."[15]
References
edit- ^ "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". dailynk.jp (in Japanese). 2015-02-23.
- ^ a b "朝鮮総連、３代目議長に許宗萬氏を選出". Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). 2012-05-19. Archived from the original on 2014-03-15.
- ^ "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. 2015-03-26. Archived from the original on 2015-03-31. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
- ^ "有力者「許議長」、昨年9月には約8年ぶり平壌訪問も". Sankei Shimbun. 2015-03-26. Archived from the original on 2015-03-28. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
{{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. 2015-03-26. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
- ^ a b "朝鮮総連新議長に許宗萬氏 01年以来の選出". 47NEWS (in Japanese). 47NEWS. 2012-05-19. Archived from the original on 2015-01-23.
- ^ "朝鮮総連新議長に許宗萬氏" (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun News. 2012-05-19. Archived from the original on 2012-05-19. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
- ^ 북 김정은, 최고인민회의 대의원 처음 빠져. Tong Il News (in Korean). 2019-03-12. Archived from the original on 2018-09-08. Retrieved 2019-03-13.
- ^ "金総書記100%賛成で当選 代議員数は687人". 47NEWS. 2003-08-04. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "在日同胞6人も選出". 朝鮮新報. 2009-03-11.
- ^ "許宗萬氏を議長に再任し閉幕 朝鮮総連全体大会". Sankei Shimbun. 2014-05-25. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
{{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". 日本経済新聞. 2015-03-26. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
- ^ "総連副議長が訪朝、最高人民会議に出席". The Nikkei. 2015-04-08. Retrieved 2015-04-15.
- ^ 북 김정은, 최고인민회의 대의원 처음 빠져 - 통일뉴스. Tongil News (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-04-11.
- ^ 허종만동지에게 조선민주주의인민공화국 로력영웅칭호를 수여함에 대하여. 労働新聞. 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2020-02-27.