s ▁m un itions ▁industry , ▁the ▁country ' s ▁economic ▁base , ▁along ▁with ▁Korean ▁Work ers ' ▁Party ▁Secretary ▁Jon ▁Py ong - ho . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁generation ▁of ▁North ▁Korean ▁leadership , ▁Kim ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁an ▁alternate ▁member ▁to ▁the ▁Central ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁Korean ▁Work ers ' ▁Party . ▁He ▁was ▁elev ated ▁to ▁full ▁member ▁status ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁Kim ' s ▁position ▁was ▁placed ▁in ▁danger ▁following ▁a ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁pur ge ▁of ▁military ▁officials , ▁but ▁surv ived ▁un touch ed . ▁For ▁a ▁short ▁period ▁of ▁time ▁( Oct ober ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁– ▁September ▁ 1 9 8 1 ) ▁Kim ▁was ▁an ▁alternate ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Polit b uro ▁of ▁the ▁Work ers ' ▁Party ▁of ▁Korea , ▁the ▁highest ▁decision - making ▁body ▁of ▁North ▁Korea . ▁ ▁Special ▁positions ▁he ▁held ▁include ▁the ▁Chair ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Econom ic ▁Committee , ▁and ▁the ▁fun eral ▁comm itte es ▁of ▁both ▁Kim ▁Il - s ung ▁and ▁O ▁Jin - u . ▁The ▁fun eral ▁comm itte es ▁are ▁often ▁seen ▁as ▁an ▁indicator ▁of ▁de ▁fact o ▁power . ▁ ▁In ▁old ▁age , ▁Kim ▁was ▁retired ▁from ▁many ▁of ▁his ▁positions . ▁During ▁a ▁res h uffle ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁which ▁saw ▁the ▁removal ▁of ▁other ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁first