Kim Il-chol

Kim Il- Ch'ol ( born 1933 in Heijo, Chosen Province, Empire of Japan, today Pyongyang ) is a North Korean military and politicians.

Kim Il- Ch'ol studied in Pyongyang, as well as a Soviet naval college. He was a member of the National Defence Commission, and from September 1998 to February 2009 Minister of Defense of North Korea. His predecessor, Ch'oe Kwang was, died in February 1997. Kim himself was replaced in February 2009 by Kim Yong- ch'un and was now on his first deputy. In May 2010, Kim Il- Ch'ol was surprisingly dismissed from his offices. In a report by the state news agency KCNA stated, Kim had been dismissed for reasons of age. Since it is not uncommon in North Korea that people beyond the age of 80 hold high offices of state, foreign media speculated about the true reasons of Kim's dismissal.

Kim Il- Ch'ol has the military rank of " Vice Marshal ".