Jon Pyong-ho (, 20 March 1926 – 7 July 2014) was a North Korean officer and politician who served as the Chief Secretary of the Korean Workers Party (KWP) Committee of the North Korean Cabinet, and director of the DPRK Cabinet Political Bureau before his retirement in 2010. Jon was described as the 'Chief architect of North Korea's nuclear programme'. Jon was a general of the Korean People's Army and a close adviser to the late Kim Jong-il.
Jon played a key role in the production and development of North Korean defense industry for more than four decades before retiring in 2011. Jon supervised the development of the country's long-range ballistic missile programmes and was involved with its first test of a nuclear device in 2006 directly. Jon was reported to help broker a deal with Pakistan during the 1990s that gave North Korea critical technology for its uranium enrichment programme in exchange for North Korea's missile technology. Jon was sanctioned by the United Nations as a result of his involvement in the country's nuclear and missile weapons programmes.
He was born in Musan County, in North Hamgyong Province, and was educated at the Ural Engineering College in the Soviet Union, where he graduated in 1950. He has since held a number of positions within the North Korean military and government, and was appointed member of the National Defense Commission in February 2009. In December 2011, he was named as one of the members of the funeral committee for the late supreme leader Kim Jong-il. He has been described as "a talented writer with an excellent knowledge of policy and process."
Death and funeral
On 7 July 2014 Jon Pyong-ho died of acute myocardial infarction at the age of 88. He was awarded a state funeral, attended by Kim Jong-un.
The funeral commission of Jon Pyong-ho, chaired by Kim Jong-un, was composed of the following individuals:
Kim Jong-un
Kim Yong-nam
Pak Pong-ju
Hwang Pyong-so
Ri Yong-gil
Hyon Yong-chol
Kim Ki-nam
Choe Tae-bok
Choe Ryong-hae
Pak To-chun
Yang Hyong-sop
Kang Sok-ju
Ri Yong-mu
O Kuk-ryol
Kim Won-hong
Kim Yang-gon
Kim Phyong-hae
Kwak Pom-gi
O Su-yong
Choe Pu-il
Ro Tu-chol
Jo Yon-jun
Ri Il-hwan
Kim Man-song
Han Kwang-bok
O Il-jong
An Jong-su
Kim Jong-im
Kim Jung-hyop
Han Kwang-sang
Hong In-bom
Kim Kyong-ok
Ri Jae-il
Choe Hwi
Jon Il-chun
Jong Myong-hak
Kim Hi-taek
Kang Kwan-il
Hong Yong-chil
Hong Sung-mu
Jang Chang-ha
Rim Chun-song
Pyon In-son
So Hong-chan
Pak Yong-sik
Ryom Chol-song
Jo Kyong-chol
Yun Tong-hyon
Kang Phyo-yong
Kim Hyong-ryong
Kim Hyong-sik
Ri Pyong-chol
Kim Chun-sam
Kim Yong-chol
O Kum-chol
Pak Jong-chon
Kim Jong-gwan
No Kwang-chol
Tong Yong-il
Ri Chang-han
Ri Yong-ju
Ri Gyu-man
Jong Yong-hak
Kim Thae-gu
Rim Un-guk
Kim Su-hak
Pak Gwan-bok
Yun Pyong-gwon
An Ji-yong
Ju Dong-chol
Choe Jae-bok
Kim Su-gil
Tae Jong-su
Pak Tae-song
Ri Man-gon
Jon Sung-hun
Pak Yong-ho
Pak Tae-dok
Kim Chun-sop
Pak Jong-nam
Ri Sang-won
Kang Yang-mo
Rim Kyong-man
Jo Chun Ryong
Ju Kyu-chang
Choe Chun-sik
Ri Je-son
Yu Jin
Ri Song-hak
Awards and honors
A frame displaying Jon's decorations was placed at the foot of his bier during his funeral.