Kim Il Sung University

Kim Il Sung University was founded in October 1946 as North Korea’s top university. Since North Korea signed the founding agreement and charter of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) at Dubna in the USSR in 1956, the university has been conducting research and training students in the nuclear field. [Note: JINR is also called the “United Institute of Nuclear Research” or the “Dubna Atomic Energy Research Institute.”] In the late 1950’s, the university established a nuclear reactor engineering program (핵원자로공학과) and started to send students to JINR for training. ¹ According to defector Ko Yong Hwan (고영환), the university established a nuclear physics program (핵물리학과) in 1959, but the (South) Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute says the program was established in 1973. ² These programs are under the Atomic Energy Department (원자력학부), which is one of eight departments in the College of Natural Sciences. The university also has the Atomic Energy Research Institute, but the institute’s date of establishment is not clear. The nuclear physics curriculum has included courses in nuclear electronics, nuclear fuels, and nuclear reactors.

According to South Korea’s Technology Center for Nuclear Control, Kim Il Sung University has a sub-critical assembly (미임계시설) for educational use. ³ In 1981, the university reportedly had research facilities for nuclear electronics, solid state physics, materials research, electron microscopy, and X-ray spectrometry. The same year, the Chemistry Department offered courses in radiochemistry, and the Institute of Engineering taught nuclear engineering classes. There is also a report that the university might have hot cells.⁴

Suh Sang Guk (서상국), the Dean of Department of Physics, heads North Korea’s nuclear research and development. Even though his official position is dean, he also manages human resources for nuclear research and leads research and development activities in North Korea as a secret member of the National Defense Committee. ⁵

It is estimated that 1,000 students graduate from the Atomic Energy Department annually. About 100 of those specialize in nuclear physics, and these graduates have reportedly been assigned to the Yongbyon Nuclear Research Center or nuclear facilities in Pakchon-kun (박천군). ⁶

Until 2004, Pak Kwan O (박관오), an authority on nuclear physics and current Mayor of Pyongyang, had been serving as the president for 17 years. ⁷ Since 2021, the current university president is Kim Sung Chan, who also doubles as the Minister of Education, by replacing the former university president, Ri Kuk-chol, during North Korea’s Third Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee.⁸

*Note: There are also education bureaus under the people’s committees in every city and/or province (시∙도 인민위원회교육국) that contribute to the formation of education policy, and the local education bureau could provide some input for the school.