The following is a list of political leaders of North Korea.
Prior to the proclamation of a North Korean state, the Soviet Union had established in 1946 the Provisional People's Committee for North Korea as a de facto government in their occupation zone. Its chairman was Kim Il-sung.
On 9 September 1948 a North Korean state, called the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), was proclaimed under the leadership of Kim Il-sung and took the governmental functions over from the Provisional People's Committee.
Since its founding, the most important position in the DPRK has been that of the leader 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 all intents and purposes, the WPK is the only legal party in the country (two minor parties exist, but are completely subservient to the WPK), and its leader exercises absolute control over the country. The government serves largely as a transmission belt for the party.
The formal head of state originally was the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly. On December 28, 1972 party leader and Premier Kim Il-sung proclaimed himself President and thus become head of state. He held this office until his death on July 8, 1994 when he was proclaimed the "Eternal President of the Republic". Since then, de jure functions of the head of state had been conferred to the President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly.
After the death of Kim Il-sung, his son Kim Jong-il held supreme power in the country as Chairman of the National Defence Commission and General Secretary of the party until his own death on December 17, 2011.
The current leader is Kim Jong-il's 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 December 29, 2011.
The government is headed by the Premier, formerly called Premier of the Council of Ministers.
Other important institutions include the Supreme People's Assembly, whose sessions are chaired by the Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly, and, since 1993, the Chairman of the National Defence Commission, which holds supreme command of the DPRK's armed forces.
Since 1997, the SPA chairman, premier and National Defence Commission 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 Workers' Party), an office constitutionally defined as the "highest post in the state."
Supreme leaders
To date, "supreme leader" has been applied to three individual North Korean leaders, from three generations of a single family (dates approximate and open to dispute):
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Generations of leadership
First generation Second generation Third generation
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Picture
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Name
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Offices held
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Period
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Party
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Kim Il-sung
김일성
(1912–1994)
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Supreme Commander of the KPA
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February 8, 1948 – December 24, 1991
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September 9, 1948
↓
July 8, 1994
(700145000000000000045 years, 7002302000000000000302 days)
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Workers' Party of Korea
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Prime Minister of the DPRK Cabinet
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September 9, 1948 – December 28, 1972
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Chairman of the WPK Central Committee
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June 30, 1949 – October 11, 1966
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Chairman of the WPK Central Military Commission
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1950 – July 8, 1994
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General Secretary of the WPK Central Committee
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October 11, 1966 – July 8, 1994
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President of the DPRK
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December 28, 1972 – July 8, 1994
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Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK
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December 28, 1972 – April 9, 1993
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Eternal President of the DPRK
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July 8, 1994 – Incumbent
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Kim Jong-il
김정일
(1942–2011)
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Supreme Commander of the KPA
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December 24, 1991 – December 17, 2011
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July 8, 1994
↓
December 17, 2011
(700117000000000000017 years, 7002162000000000000162 days)
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Workers' Party of Korea
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Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK
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April 9, 1993 – December 17, 2011
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General Secretary of the WPK Central Committee
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October 8, 1997 – December 17, 2011
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Chairman of the WPK Central Military Commission
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Eternal General Secretary of the WPK Central Committee
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April 11, 2012 – Incumbent
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Eternal Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK
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April 13, 2012 – Incumbent
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Kim Jong-un
김정은
(1983–)
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Supreme Commander of the KPA
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December 30, 2011 – Incumbent
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December 17, 2011
↓
Incumbent
(70003000000000000003 years, 700166000000000000066 days)
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Workers' Party of Korea
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First Secretary of the WPK Central Committee
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April 11, 2012 – Incumbent
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Chairman of the WPK Central Military Commission
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First Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK
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April 13, 2012 – Incumbent
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Leaders of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK)
Flag of the Workers' Party of Korea
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
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
Heads of parliament
Heads of the military
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 not given the title of Chairman.
See also
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