Kim Ik-hyon is a senior statesman who fought alongside the late North Korean leader Kim Il-sung against the Japanese colonialists.

After North Korea declared itself a nation in 1948, he took over the Communist Youth League and became commander of the 1st Regiment’s 2nd Division in 1951.

From 1968, he headed the military bureau of the Korean Workers’ Party’s Central Committee and became a cadre two years later. As a lieutenant general, in 1972, he led the regiment’s 4th Division and was promoted to deputy chief of the bureau in 1973. He was named deputy chief of staff of the People’s Army in 1990, a general in 1991 and deputy commander-in-chief in 1994. He received the honor of Hero of Republic in 1992.