List of leaders of North Korea

The following is a list of political leaders of North Korea, officially called the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (the 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 July 8, 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 own death on December 17, 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 December 29, 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.

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 NDC chairman was formally designated as "the supreme leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea." It was slightly amended in 2012, with "chairman" replaced by "first chairman." Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un have held the following posts:

Generations of leadership

      First generation       Second generation       Third generation

• Bold refers 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	February 8, 1948 – December 24, 1991	September 9, 1948 ↓ July 8, 1994 ()	Juche (Ten Principles)
		Premier of the DPRK Cabinet	September 9, 1948 – December 28, 1972
		Chairman of the WPK Central Committee	June 30, 1949 – October 11, 1966
		Chairman of the WPK Central Military Commission	1950 – July 8, 1994
		General Secretary of the WPK Central Committee	October 11, 1966 – July 8, 1994
		President of the DPRK	December 28, 1972 – July 8, 1994
		Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK	December 28, 1972 – April 9, 1993
		Eternal President of the DPRK	September 5, 1998 – Incumbent
	Kim Jong-il 김정일 (1942–2011)
		Supreme Commander of the KPA	December 24, 1991 – December 17, 2011	July 8, 1994 ↓ December 17, 2011 ()	Juche Songun (Ten Principles)
		Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK	April 9, 1993 – December 17, 2011
		General Secretary of the WPK	October 8, 1997 – December 17, 2011
		Chairman of the WPK Central Military Commission
		Eternal General Secretary of the WPK	April 11, 2012 – Incumbent
		Eternal Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK	April 13, 2012 – Incumbent
	Kim Jong-un 김정은 (1983–)
		Supreme Commander of the KPA	December 30, 2011 – Incumbent	December 17, 2011 ↓ Incumbent ()	Juche Songun (Ten Principles)
		First Secretary of the WPK	April 11, 2012 – Incumbent
		Chairman of the WPK Central Military Commission
		First Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK	April 13, 2012 – Incumbent

Leaders of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK)

Flag of the Workers' Party of Korea

№	Picture	Name (Born–Died)	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	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 (Born–Died)	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	60px	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		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 (Born–Died)	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	60px	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 (Born–Died)	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	60px	Choe Yong-gon (1900–1976)	20 September 1957	28 December 1972	WPK
3	60px	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

Flag of the Korean People's Army

№	Picture	Name (Born–Died)	Took office	Left office	Political Party
Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea
1		Kim Il-sung (1912–1994)	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
  • List of Premiers of North Korea
• Government of North Korea
• Politics of North Korea
• Residences of North Korean leaders
• North Korean cult of personality
• Kim dynasty

External links

• World Statesmen – North Korea