Choe Deok-sin

Choe Deok-sin (Korean: 최덕신; September 17, 1914 – November 14, 1989) was a South Korean Foreign Minister who later defected with his wife, Ryu Mi-yong, to North Korea.^[1]

PresidentPark Chung Hee

Preceded bySong Yo-chan

Succeeded byKim Yong-shik

PresidentKim Il Sung

Quick facts Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea, President ...

Choe Deok-sin
최덕신
Malaysian Minister for Agriculture Malaya Khir Johari and the foreign minister of South Korea Choe Deok-sin sign the first ever trade agreement between those two countries in Seoul
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea
In office October 11, 1961 – March 15, 1963
President	Park Chung Hee
Preceded by	Song Yo-chan
Succeeded by	Kim Yong-shik
Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland
In office ??–1989
President	Kim Il Sung
Personal details
Born	(1914-09-17)September 17, 1914 Uiju County, Heianhoku Province, Empire of Japan
Died	November 14, 1989(1989-11-14) (aged 75) Pyongyang, North Korea
Spouse	Ryu Mi-yong
Korean name
Hangul	최덕신
Hanja	崔德新
RR	Choe Deoksin
MR	Ch'oe Tŏksin

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Choe was born in Uiju County, North Pyongan Province. In 1936, he graduated from the Republic of China Military Academy, and served as a Republic of China Army officer.^[2] By the end of World War II, Choe had been promoted to colonel.^[2] After the war Choe returned to South Korea and entered the national army academy as a second lieutenant.^[2] In 1949, Choe entered the United States Military Academy.^[2] On July 14, 1950, Choe returned to South Korea.^[2] Choe served as a commanding general of the South Korean 11th Division under the United States IX Corps during the Korean War.^{[2][3][unreliable source?]} His division carried out the Sancheong-Hamyang and Geochang massacres. After the military coup, from 1961 to 1963, Choe served as a Foreign Minister and Ambassador to West Germany.^[1]

In 1986, Choe relocated with his wife Ryu Mi-yong to North Korea from their exile in the United States, where they had been known for their opposition to the policies of the South Korean military government.^[4] Choe served as a chief of the central committee of the Chondogyo religious movement and vice-chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland.^[1][4] 3 years later, in 1989, Choe died at the age of 75. Choe's son, Choe In-guk, reportedly defected to North Korea in July 2019.^[5][6]