Ri Ul-sol

Ri Ul-sol (리을설; 14 September 1921 – 7 November 2015) was a North Korean politician and military official. He played an important role in the administrations of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, achieving the rank of Marshal of the Korean People's Army. He was responsible for the safety of top North Korean leaders and their families as Commander of the Guard.

Early life and education
Ri Ul-sol was born in 1921 in Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province.

He may have been trained at the Okeanskaya Field School in Vladivostok or in the RKKA Military Academy in Khabarovsk, both in the Soviet Union.

Military career
In the late 1930s Ri was a soldier in Kim Il-sung's United Army, which was a partisan unit. He fought for Korea's independence from Japan alongside Kim Il-sung in World War II. Ri served in the 88th Sniper Brigade with Kim Il-sung, Kim Chol-man and other first-generation North Korean politicians. During the outbreak of the Korean War, Ri Ul-sol was responsible for the care of Kim Jong-il and Kim Kyong-hui, the children of Kim Il-sung. It is said that Ri assumed the position of surrogate father to Kim Jong-il, the future North Korean leader.

He was promoted through the North Korean military system, earning the following ranks:

He was one of only a handful of North Korean Marshals (the others being or having been Kim Jong-il, O Jin-u, Choe Kwang and Kim Jong-un), the second highest North Korean military rank. His full title was Marshal of the Korean People's Army. In his other major position, Commander of the Guard (1996–2003), he was responsible for guarding the top North Korean officials, including Kim Jong-il and his family. The Guard Command is one of the few military positions which show little turnover, as Ri managed to hold onto his position from 1984–2003. Furthermore, Ri Ul-sol became a member of the Central Military Commission of the WPK in October 1980, and a member of the National Defence Commission in May 1990.

Political career
Ri was a deputy delegate to the 3rd, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Supreme People's Assemblies. In the 10th SPA, he represented Electoral District 583, and in the 12th SPA, he represented Electoral District 1. He was also a member of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea in November 1970.

He was part of the Funeral Committees for both Kim Il-sung and O Jin-u. The funeral committees are often seen as an indicator of de facto power.

Politically, Ri Ul-sol was one of the last surviving members of the first generation of North Korean leadership. He was seen as an ultraconservative. He retired from most of his positions in 2003 during a reshuffle and was subsequently not considered to be a major player in North Korean politics.

Awards
Ri Ul-sol was the recipient of various awards, including the Order of Kim Il-sung, Hero of Labour and Order of the National Flag (1st class). He was twice awarded the title of the Hero of the DPRK.

Death
Ri Ul-sol died of lung cancer on 7 November 2015. His funeral committee consisted of:


 * 1) Kim Jong-un (chairman)
 * 2) Kim Yong-nam
 * 3) Hwang Pyong-so
 * 4) Pak Pong-ju
 * 5) Kim Ki-nam
 * 6) Choe Tae-bok
 * 7) Pak Yong-sik
 * 8) Ri Yong-gil
 * 9) Yang Hyong-sop
 * 10) Kang Sok-ju
 * 11) Ri Yong-mu
 * 12) O Kuk-ryol
 * 13) Kim Won-hong
 * 14) Kim Yang-gon
 * 15) Kwak Pom-gi
 * 16) O Su-yong
 * 17) Kim Pyong-hae
 * 18) Choe Pu-il
 * 19) Ro Tu-chol
 * 20) Jo Yon-jun
 * 21) Im Chol-ung
 * 22) Kim Tok-hun
 * 23) Kim Yong-jin
 * 24) Ri Mu-yong
 * 25) Ri Chol-man
 * 26) Kim Yong-dae
 * 27) Ryu Mi-yong
 * 28) Hwang Sun-hui
 * 29) Kim Chol-man
 * 30) Kim Ok-sun
 * 31) Pak Kyong-suk
 * 32) Ri Yong-suk
 * 33) Ri Il-Hwan
 * 34) Kim Chun-sop
 * 35) Kim Man-song
 * 36) Ri Yong-rae
 * 37) Kim Jong-im
 * 38) Kim Jung-hyop
 * 39) Hong In-born
 * 40) Kim Kyong-ok
 * 41) Choe Hwi
 * 42) Kim Chung-il
 * 43) Ri Pyong-chol
 * 44) Jon M-chun
 * 45) Kim Yong-su
 * 46) Jong Myong-hak
 * 47) Kim Hi-taek
 * 48) Jong Yong-nam
 * 49) Kim Yong-chun
 * 50) Hyon Chol-hae
 * 51) Kim Jong-gak
 * 52) Ri Ha-il
 * 53) So Hong-chan
 * 54) Rim Kwang-il
 * 55) No Kwang-chol
 * 56) Jo Nam-jin
 * 57) Ryom Chol-song
 * 58) Jo Kyong-chol
 * 59) Yun Tong-hyon
 * 60) Kim Hyong-ryong
 * 61) Yun Jong-rin
 * 62) Kim Myong-guk
 * 63) Rye Chun-sok
 * 64) Ri Myong-su
 * 65) Choe Kyong-song
 * 66) Ri Tae-chol
 * 67) Jong Myong-do
 * 68) Kang Tong-yun
 * 69) Jon Chang-bok
 * 70) Kim Yun-sim
 * 71) Kim Ki-son
 * 72) Pak Jae-gyong
 * 73) Son Chong-nam
 * 74) Jon Tae-ryong
 * 75) Ri Yong-ju
 * 76) Choe Yong-ho
 * 77) Kim Rak-gyom
 * 78) Kim Yong-chol
 * 79) O Kum-chol
 * 80) Kim Jong-gwan
 * 81) Kim Song-dok
 * 82) Ri Chang-han
 * 83) Tong Yong-il
 * 84) Ri Mun-kuk
 * 85) Han Kwang-sang
 * 86) Ri Kyu-man
 * 87) Kim Taek-gu
 * 88) Ri Dong-chun
 * 89) Jong Yong-hak
 * 90) Kim Sang-gap
 * 91) Kim Su-hak
 * 92) Pang Kwan-bok
 * 93) An Ji-yong
 * 94) Yun Pyong-gwon
 * 95) Kim Myong-gyun
 * 96) Ju Dong-chol
 * 97) Choe Jae-bok
 * 98) Pang Tu-sop
 * 99) Ri Song-guk
 * 100) Jang Jong-nam
 * 101) Kim Myong-nam
 * 102) Kim Yong-bok
 * 103) Ri Pong-juk
 * 104) Choe Du-yong
 * 105) Han Chang-sun
 * 106) Pak Su-il
 * 107) Kim Sang-ryong
 * 108) Kim Kum-chol
 * 109) Ri Bong-chun
 * 110) Song Sok-won
 * 111) Kang Son-nam
 * 112) Song Yong-gon
 * 113) Ri Tae-sop
 * 114) Kim Song-chol
 * 115) Kim Kwang-su
 * 116) Ho Song-il
 * 117) Ri Chol
 * 118) Ri Yong-chol
 * 119) Kim Kwang-hyok
 * 120) Ri Guk-jun
 * 121) Jong Kyong-taek
 * 122) Kim Jun-sik
 * 123) Kim Yong-il
 * 124) Ho Young-chun
 * 125) Son Chol-ju
 * 126) Pak Young-rae
 * 127) Kim Guk-chang
 * 128) Ju Dong-chol
 * 129) Ri Yong-chol
 * 130) Jang Tong-un
 * 131) Kim Do-un
 * 132) Ro Heung-se
 * 133) Ri Jong-rae
 * 134) Yun Hui-hwan
 * 135) Sin Ki-chol
 * 136) Kim Kyong-ryong
 * 137) Han Phyo-sop
 * 138) Ri Yong-nam
 * 139) Han Myong-son
 * 140) Ri Ho-chol
 * 141) Kim Jong-chol
 * 142) Jo Ki-bok
 * 143) Ju Song-nam
 * 144) Kwon Yong-jin
 * 145) Ko Won-nam
 * 146) Ju Jae-uk
 * 147) Jang Yong-gil
 * 148) Kim Tong-chol
 * 149) Jin Kwang-chol
 * 150) Pak Il-su
 * 151) Tae Jong-su
 * 152) Kim Su-gil
 * 153) Pak Tae-song
 * 154) Ri Man-gon
 * 155) Pak Yong-ho
 * 156) Pak Tae-dok
 * 157) Kim Jae-ryong
 * 158) Pak Jong-nam
 * 159) Jon Sung-hun
 * 160) Ri Sang-won
 * 161) Kang Yong-mo
 * 162) Rim Kyong-min
 * 163) Choe Yong-rim
 * 164) Hong Son-ok
 * 165) Jo Chun-ryong
 * 166) Jon Yong-nam
 * 167) Ju Yong-gil
 * 168) Rim Yong-il
 * 169) Kim Jong-sun