Kim Yong-chol vs Shunroku Hata

Kim Yong-chol was appointed Director of the Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB), North Korea's primary intelligence agency. He oversaw espionage operations and cyber warfare, including the alleged Sony Pictures hack in 2014.

Kim Yong-chol led the North Korean delegation to the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. This was a key step in the inter-Korean rapprochement that led to the 2018 summit between Kim Jong-un and Moon.

Kim Yong-chol served as North Korea's chief negotiator in talks with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. He traveled to Washington D.C. and New York to discuss denuclearization and the planned summit between Kim Jong-un and President Trump.

Kim Yong-chol accompanied Kim Jong-un to the second U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi, Vietnam. He was a key advisor during the talks, which ultimately collapsed without an agreement on denuclearization and sanctions relief.

Hata commanded the Japanese Expeditionary Army in China, overseeing operations against Chinese forces and the occupation of large areas. His command was responsible for the implementation of the Three Alls Policy (kill all, burn all, loot all) in some regions.

Hata was appointed Inspector General of Military Training, one of the highest positions in the Japanese Army. He was responsible for training and doctrine, but the position had limited operational influence as Japan faced military defeats.

Hata was tried by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East for war crimes, including the Nanking Massacre and other atrocities. He was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment, but was paroled in 1955.