Yi Chong-Ok

Born 1916. State and political figure of the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea (PDRK).

Born into a peasant family, Yi Chong-ok graduated from a polytechnical institute. During the 1930’s he took part in the anti-Japanese movement. After the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule, he entered party and government service. He was minister of light industry from 1951 to 1955 and chairman of the State Planning Committee of the PDRK from 1956 to 1959. In 1959 he became deputy chairman of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers’ Party (KWP).

While deputy chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers from 1960 to 1970, Yi Chong-ok held several other posts: he served as chairman of the Committee on Heavy Industry from 1960 to 1962, minister of the metallurgical and chemical industry from 1962 to 1964, president of the Academy of Sciences from 1965 to 1967, and minister of the power engineering and coal industry of the PDRK in 1969 and 1970. In 1972 he was appointed minister of the mining industry of the PDRK. From 1972 to 1976 he was chairman of the Committee on Heavy Industry of the PDRK. He was deputy premier of the Administrative Council of the PDRK in 1976 and 1977 and became premier of the council in December 1977.

Yi Chong-ok was a member of the Central Committee of the KWP from 1956 to 1970 and was reappointed to the committee in 1972. From 1956 to 1961 and from 1972 to 1977 he was a candidate member of the Political Committee of the Central Committee of the KWP. A member of the Political Committee from 1961 to 1970, Yi Chong-ok was again elected a member in 1977. He has been a member of the Presidium of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the KWP since 1980.