▁senior ▁official ▁of ▁the ▁r uling ▁Work ers ' ▁Party ▁of ▁Korea . ▁ ▁Early ▁career ▁Kim ▁Yang - gon ▁started ▁his ▁political ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁vice - direct or ▁of ▁the ▁party ' s ▁International ▁L ia ison ▁Department ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁and ▁during ▁this ▁time ▁he ▁also ▁o vers aw ▁relations ▁with ▁Japan ▁as ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁D PR K - J apan ▁Friend ship ▁Association . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁recip ient ▁of ▁the ▁top ▁Order ▁of ▁Kim ▁Il - s ung ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁director ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁and ▁visited ▁China ▁multiple ▁times ▁during ▁his ▁ten ure . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁he ▁also ▁received ▁a ▁position ▁as ▁" c oun cil or " ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Def ence ▁Commission . ▁ ▁Prom otion ▁Several ▁months ▁after ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁R im ▁T ong - ok , ▁Kim ▁Yang - gon , ▁considered ▁a ▁conf id ant ▁to ▁Kim ▁J ong - il , ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁replace ▁him ▁as ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Front ▁Department ▁of ▁the ▁Work ers ' ▁Party ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁His ▁first ▁assignment ▁as ▁head ▁of ▁relations ▁with ▁South ▁Korea ▁was ▁a ▁visit ▁to ▁Se oul ▁in ▁November ▁to ▁discuss ▁re appro achment ▁measures ▁with ▁Un ification ▁Minister ▁Lee ▁J ae - je ong . ▁At ▁the ▁Party ▁Conference ▁held ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Kim ▁was ▁also ▁appointed ▁secretary