Buried at North Korea Hancha 南日 Years of service 1948–19761940s Name Nam Il Rank General officer | Relations Nam Jong-son Role Military Officer Children Nam Jong Choson'gul 남일 Place of burial North Korea | |
 | ||
Died March 7, 1976, North Korea | ||
Nam Il (June 5, 1915 – March 7, 1976) was a North Korean General in the Korean People's Army and co-signer of the Korean Armistice Agreement.
Nam was born in the Russian Far East to Korean parents on June 5, 1915.
Educated at Smolensk Military School and at Tashkent, Nam became chief of staff of a Soviet Army division during World War II. He took part in some of the greatest battles, including Stalingrad.
Returning to Korea at end of the war, Nam later served as North Korean Foreign Minister and Chief of Staff of the Korean People's Army.
When the Korean War reached a stalemate in July 1951, Nam served as the Communists' chief delegate at the armistice talks. He was famous for smoking using an amber cigarette holder.
Nam died in 1976, officially after a collision between his car and a truck. It has been suggested that this is unlikely, and that he was actually purged as a potential rival to Kim Il-sung.