Choe Ryong-hae[a] (born 15 January 1950) is a North Korean politician and military officer who currently serves as Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly and First Vice President of the State Affairs Commission, holding both positions since April 2019.

[5] He joined the Korean People's Army (KPA) in 1967 and graduated from Kim Il Sung University as a political and economic expert.

In April 2012, he received important promotions to Vice Marshal, member of the Presidium of the Politburo of the WPK, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, director of the KPA General Political Bureau and member of the National Defence Commission (NDC), largely filling the post left unoccupied by Jo Myong-rok's death and working as power broker for Kim Jong Un.

[13] This would be concurrent with Hyon Yong-chol's demotion to the same rank and Kim Jong-gak's removal as defence minister, and may be a consequence of the army's growing dissatisfaction over Choe's tenure.

[13] Choe was seen inexplicably wearing the Vice Marshal insignia again at a meeting in February 2013[14] and became Kim Jong Un's special envoy for strategic partner China.

[15] Choe was appointed the first-ranking vice-chairman of the NDC in April 2014, apparently reinforcing his number two position,[16] but he was replaced by newly appointed Vice Marshal Hwang Pyong-so as chief of the KPA politburo,[17] and was officially demoted from the NDC after only five months, thus ending his involvement in military affairs.

North Korea's news agency reported later on that he was party secretary in charge of labor organizations[18] and chairman of the State Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Commission, a post previously held by Jang Song-thaek, and then part of a delegation to South Korea to attend the closing ceremony of the Asian Games.

He was also restored to his Presidium position in late October,[19] and finally demoted from it next February, although he remained a high-ranking member of the Politburo.