List of leaders of North Korea
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| This article is part of a series on the politics and government of North Korea |
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The following is a list of political leaders of North Korea, officially called the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
At the end of World War II, the Soviet Union occupied the northern half of Korea and in 1946 established the Provisional People's Committee for North Korea chaired by Kim Il-sung. On 9 September 1948, the DPRK was proclaimed, also led by Kim Il-sung.
The supreme leaders of the DPRK have been Kim Il-sung, his son Kim Jong-il, and his grandson Kim Jong-un. In this role they have not held consistent titles, though they were each leaders of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) — titled as Chairman from 1948 to 1966, General Secretary from 1966 to 2011 and First Secretary since 2011 — for almost all of their period in power. Even though they have the appearance of a dynasty, there is no formal succession.
From 1948 to 1972, the nominal head of state was the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA). In 1972, the constitution was amended to create an executive presidency. Kim Il-sung, who had served as Premier of North Korea since the DPRK's inception, was unanimously elected President of North Korea by the Supreme People's Assembly on December 28. He held this office until his death on 8 July 1994 when he was proclaimed the "Eternal President of the Republic". Since then, the practical functions of the head of state have been exercised by the President of the Presidium of the SPA.
After the death of Kim Il-sung, his son Kim Jong-il was understood to have inherited his father's near-absolute control over the country. Although he had been his father's designated successor since at least 1991, it took him three years to fully consolidate his power. He was elected general secretary of the party in 1997, and was reelected Chairman of the National Defence Commission (NDC) in 1998. During his rule he was given a range of titles. He ruled the country until his death on 17 December 2011. He was succeeded by his son, Kim Jong-un, who was revealed to be in charge of the country since his father's death by the Rodong Sinmun and finally publicly acknowledged as supreme leader at the military review ending Kim Jong-il's funeral on 29 December 2011.
The government is headed by the Premier of the Cabinet, formerly called Premier of the Administration Council.
Other important institutions include the SPA, whose sessions are chaired by the Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly, and, since 1993, the Chairman of the NDC, which holds supreme command of the DPRK's armed forces.
While two other parties, the Korean Social Democratic Party and the Chondoist Chongu Party, nominally exist, only the WPK holds any power at the national level. The other parties, and indeed all other mass organizations in the country, are completely subservient to the WPK. They exist solely to keep up the appearance that the country is a pluralist society. Almost nothing is mentioned about the minor parties except the names of their current leaders.[1]
Since 1997, the SPA chairman, premier and NDC chairman have officially formed a triumvirate heading the executive branch, with powers equivalent to one-third of a president's powers in other presidential systems. The SPA chairman conducts foreign affairs and receives the credentials of ambassadors, the premier handles domestic policy and the NDC chairman commands the armed forces. In practice, however, the real power is vested in the NDC chairman (who has also been leader of the WPK), an office constitutionally defined as the "highest post in the state."
Supreme Leader of the DPRK
The constitution of North Korea has recognized the title "supreme leader" since 2009, when the Chairman of the National Defence Commission was formally designated as "the supreme leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea."[2] It was slightly amended in 2012, with "chairman" replaced by "first chairman."[3]
- Generations of leadership
First generation Second generation Third generation
- Bold offices refer to the highest position in the Workers' Party of Korea
| Picture | Name | Offices held | Period | Ideology | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Kim Il-sung 김일성 (1912–1994)  | ||||
| Supreme Commander of the KPA | 8 February 1948 – 24 December 1991 | 9 September 1948 ↓ 8 July 1994 (45 years, 302 days) |
Juche (Ten Principles) | ||
| Premier of the Cabinet of the DPRK | 9 September 1948 – 28 December 1972 | ||||
| Chairman of the Central Committee of the WPK | 30 June 1949 – 11 October 1966 | ||||
| Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK | 26 June 1950 – 8 July 1994 | ||||
| General Secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK | 11 October 1966 – 8 July 1994 | ||||
| President of the DPRK | 28 December 1972 – 8 July 1994 | ||||
| Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK | 28 December 1972 – 9 April 1993 | ||||
| Eternal President of the DPRK | 5 September 1998 – Incumbent | ||||
 |
Kim Jong-il 김정일 (1942–2011)  | ||||
| Supreme Commander of the KPA | 24 December 1991 – 17 December 2011 | 8 July 1994 ↓ 17 December 2011 (17 years, 162 days) |
Juche Songun (Ten Principles) | ||
| Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK | 9 April 1993 – 17 December 2011 | ||||
| General Secretary of the WPK | 8 October 1997 – 17 December 2011 | ||||
| Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK | |||||
| Eternal General Secretary of the WPK | 11 April 2012 – Incumbent | ||||
| Eternal Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK | 13 April 2012 – Incumbent | ||||
 |
Kim Jong-un 김정은 (born 1983)  | ||||
| Supreme Commander of the KPA | 30 December 2011 – Incumbent | 17 December 2011 ↓ Incumbent (4 years, 356 days) |
Juche Songun (Ten Principles) | ||
| First Secretary of the WPK | 11 April 2012 – 9 May 2016 | ||||
| Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK | 11 April 2012 – Incumbent | ||||
| First Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK | 13 April 2012 – 29 June 2016 | ||||
| Chairman of the WPK | 9 May 2016 – Incumbent | ||||
| Chairman of the State Affairs Commission | 29 June 2016 – Incumbent | ||||
Leaders of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK)
| № | Picture | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Central Committee | ||||||
| 1 |  | Kim Tu-bong (1886–1957?) | 28 August 1946 | 30 June 1949 | WPNK | |
| 2 | | Kim Il-sung (1912–1994) | 30 June 1949 | 11 October 1966 | WPK | |
| General Secretary of the Central Committee | ||||||
| 2 | | Kim Il-sung (1912–1994) | 11 October 1966 | 8 July 1994 | WPK | |
| General Secretary of the Party | ||||||
| 3 | | Kim Jong-il (1942–2011) | 8 October 1997 | Incumbent | WPK | |
| First Secretary of the Party | ||||||
| 4 | | Kim Jong-un (born 1983) | 11 April 2012 | 9 May 2016 | WPK | |
| Chairman | ||||||
| 4 | | Kim Jong-un (born 1983) | 9 May 2016 | Incumbent | WPK | |
Kim Jong-il died on 17 December 2011, but has since been posthumously named the "Eternal General Secretary". Thus his son and successor as leader, Kim Jong-un, was not given the title of General Secretary.
Heads of state
| № | Picture | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly | |||||
| 1 | | Kim Tu-bong (1886–1957?) | 9 September 1948 | 20 September 1957 | WPNK / WPK |
| 2 |  | Choe Yong-gon (1900–1976) | 20 September 1957 | 28 December 1972 | WPK |
| President of the Republic | |||||
| 3 | | Kim Il-sung (1912–1994) | 28 December 1972 | Incumbent | WPK |
| President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly | |||||
| 4 |  | Yang Hyong-sop (born 1925) | 8 July 1994 | 5 September 1998 | WPK |
| 5 |  | Kim Yong-nam (born 1928) | 5 September 1998 | Incumbent | WPK |
Kim Il-sung died on 8 July 1994, but has since been posthumously named the "Eternal President of the Republic". Thus his son and successor as leader, the late Kim Jong-il, was not given the title of President and the President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly became de jure head of state.
Heads of government
| № | Picture | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier of the Cabinet | |||||
| 1 | | Kim Il-sung (1912–1994) | 9 September 1948 | 28 December 1972 | WPNK / WPK |
| Premier of the Administration Council | |||||
| 2 |  | Kim Il (1910–1984) | 28 December 1972 | 29 April 1976 | WPK |
| 3 | | Pak Song-chol (1913–2008) | 19 April 1976 | 16 December 1977 | WPK |
| 4 |  | Ri Jong-ok (1916–1999) | 16 December 1977 | 27 January 1984 | WPK |
| 5 | | Kang Song-san (1931–2007) | 27 January 1984 | 29 December 1986 | WPK |
| 6 | | Ri Kun-mo (born 1926) | 29 December 1986 | 12 December 1988 | WPK |
| 7 | | Yon Hyong-muk (1931–2005) | 12 December 1988 | 11 December 1992 | WPK |
| 8 | | Kang Song-san (1931–2007) | 11 December 1992 | 21 February 1997 | WPK |
| — | | Hong Song-nam (1929–2009) Acting Premier | 21 February 1997 | 5 September 1998 | WPK |
| Premier of the Cabinet | |||||
| 9 | | Hong Song-nam (1929–2009) | 5 September 1998 | 3 September 2003 | WPK |
| 10 | | Pak Pong-ju (born 1939) | 3 September 2003 | 11 April 2007 | WPK |
| 11 | | Kim Yong-il (born 1944) | 11 April 2007 | 7 June 2010 | WPK |
| 12 | | Choe Yong-rim (born 1930) | 7 June 2010 | 1 April 2013 | WPK |
| 13 | | Pak Pong-ju (born 1939) | 1 April 2013 | Incumbent | WPK |
Heads of parliament
| № | Picture | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly | |||||
| 1 | | Kim Tu-bong (1886–1957?) | 9 September 1948 | 20 September 1957 | WPNK / WPK |
| 2 | | Choe Yong-gon (1900–1976) | 20 September 1957 | 28 December 1972 | WPK |
| 3 |  | Hwang Jang-yop (1923–2010) | 28 December 1972 | 1983 | WPK |
| 4 | | Yang Hyong-sop (born 1925) | 1983 | 5 September 1998 | WPK |
| Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly | |||||
| 5 | | Choe Thae-bok (born 1930) | 5 September 1998 | Incumbent | WPK |
Heads of the military
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| № | Picture | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea | |||||
| 1 | | Kim Il-sung (1912–1994) | 26 June 1950 | 28 December 1972 | WPK |
| Chairman of the National Defence Commission | |||||
| 1 | | Kim Il-sung (1912–1994) | 28 December 1972 | 9 April 1993 | WPK |
| 2 | | Kim Jong-il (1942–2011) | 9 April 1993 | Incumbent | WPK |
| First Chairman of the National Defence Commission | |||||
| 3 | | Kim Jong-un (born 1983) | 13 April 2012 | Incumbent | WPK |
Kim Jong-il died on 17 December 2011, but has since been posthumously named the "Eternal Chairman of the National Defence Commission". Thus his son and successor as leader, Kim Jong-un, was given the title of "First Chairman".
See also
- List of heads of state of North Korea
- President of North Korea
- Eternal President of the Republic
- Premier of North Korea
- Government of North Korea
- Politics of North Korea
- Residences of North Korean leaders
- North Korean cult of personality
- Kim dynasty
References
- ↑ Savada, Andrea Matles. "Mass Organizations." North Korea: A country study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1993.
- ↑ Petrov, Leonid (12 October 2009). "DPRK has quietly amended its Constitution". Leonid Petrov's KOREA VISION. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
- ↑ "Article 100". Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (PDF). Amended and supplemented on April 1, Juche 102 (2013), at the Seventh Session of the Twelfth Supreme People's Assembly. Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House. 2014. p. 22. ISBN 978-9946-0-1099-1.