Kim Jong-gak was born in Jungsan County, South Phyongan Province on 30 July 1941, and joined the Korean People's Army in August 1959. and later served in a number of capacities such as battalion commander, deputy commander of an army corps, chief of staff and head of a training center. He joined the Party leadership in December 1991, when he was appointed an alternate member of the WPK Central Committee at the 19th Plenary Meeting of the 6th Central Committee. In 1992 his duties grew again: in April, during Kim Il-sung's 80th birthday, he was promoted to colonel-general, and in December he was appointed vice-minister of the People's Armed Forces. Since then, Kim Jong-gak's role grew. He was appointed administrator of the KPA's parades and performances in Pyongyang, elected deputy to the Supreme People's Assembly starting from 1998, and promoted to general in April 2002. He was also put in charge of representing the KPA during receptions for foreign military attaches. In October 2006, he gave the keynote speech to a Pyongyang rally supporting 9 October nuclear testing. In 2007, he was appointed first vice-director of the KPA General Political Bureau; starting from that year, he frequently accompanied Kim Jong-il in his inspection tours. In August 2008, he gave the keynote speech during a meeting celebrating the anniversary of "Kim Jong-il's Songun leadership". At the opening of the 12th Supreme People's Assembly in 2009, he was elected to the newly-expanded National Defence Commission. In September 2010, at the 3rd Party Conference, he was promoted to Politburo alternate member and Central Military Commission member. General Kim Jong-gak was seen as one of the next generations of KPA leaders, along with Chief of General StaffRi Yong-ho, as well as a key asset to Kim Jong-un's rise to power. He is also supposedly linked to Jang Song-thaek, Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law; notably, both of them were removed from limelight in 2003–2005, and were promoted to high positions in 2007. Kim Jong-gak's supposed part in ensuring the succession was enhanced in May 2010, when he presided over a military ceremony unveiling bronze statues of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, and Kim Jong-suk. In April 2011, the South Korean newspaper Choson Ilbo said that Kim Jong-gak was working directly under Kim Jong-un. After Jo Myong-rok's death in November 2010 left the post of KPA General Political Bureau director vacant, Kim Jong-gak probably worked as its acting chief until Choe Ryong-hae was appointed to fill the post in April 2012. After Kim Jong-il's death, on 15 February 2012, he was promoted to Vice Marshal; on 19 February, he wrote an article for Rodong Sinmunswearing an oath of "unwavering faith" to Supreme Commander Kim Jong-un. On 10 April, in the wake of the controversial Kwangmyongsong-3 launch, he was appointed Minister of People's Armed Forces, replacing Kim Yong-Chun. He was replaced by Kim Kyok-sik on 29 November 2012. Despite the latter's appointment, which was not reported by state media and confirmed only on 28 December as he was listed as defence minister at a reception for foreign military attache corps, Kim Jong-gak remained a member of the top leadership until 31 March 2013, when he was removed from the WPK Politburo and the National Defence Commission. He then held a minor position under the Kim Il Sung Military University as dean of its graduate school. On 9 February 2018, North Korean media confirmed that Kim had replaced Hwang Pyong-so as the Director of the General Political Bureau of the KPA and was given back his party Politburo seat. In May, after a mere four months, he was in turn replaced by Kim Su-gil.
