 | Leaders of North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) |
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 Supreme Leaders
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Kim Il Sung 9 sep 1948 - 8 Jul 1994 (1994) WPK Kim Jong Il 8 Jul 1994 - 17 Dec 2011 (2011) WPK Kim Jong Un 17 Dec 2011 - WPK |
 Leaders of the Workers' Party of Korea
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Chairmen of the Central Committee Kim Tu Bong 29 Aug 1946 - 30 Jun 1949 (1958?) Kim Il Sung 30 Jun 1949 - 12 Oct 1966 (1994) General Secretaries of the Central Committee Kim Il Sung 12 Oct 1966 - 8 Jul 1994 (1994) --vacant-- 8 Jul 1994 - 8 Oct 1997 Kim Jong Il 8 Oct 1997 - 17 Dec 2011 (2011) --vacant-- 17 Dec 2011 - 11 Apr 2012 First Secretary Kim Jong Un 11 Apr 2012 - 9 May 2016 Chairman Kim Jong Un 9 May 2016 - 10 Jan 2021 General Secretary Kim Jong Un 10 Jan 2021 - |
Notes: The Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) was officially established on 30 Jun 1949 by the merger of the Workers' Party of North Korea and the Workers' Party of South Korea. Kim Jong Il ruled as de facto WPK top leader from the death of his father, Kim Il Sung, in 1994 to his official election by the Party's Central Committee to the post of General Secretary in 1997. Kim Jong Il died on 17 Dec 2011 and the WPK proclaimed him its "Eternal General Secretary" on 11 Apr 2012, creating the post of First Secretary for his son, new Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un. Nevertheless, the WPK's 8th Congress elected Kim Jong Un to the post of General Secretary in January 2021.
| Heads of State
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Chairmen of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly Kim Du Bong 3 Sep 1948 - 20 Sep 1957 (1958) WPK Choi Yong Kun 20 Sep 1957 - 28 Dec 1972 (1976) WPK, military President of the Republic Kim Il Sung 28 Dec 1972 - 8 Jul 1994 (1994) WPK --vacant-- 8 Jul 1994 - 5 Sep 1998 Chairman of the National Defence Commission Kim Jong Il 5 Sep 1998 - 17 Dec 2011 (2011) WPK --vacant-- 17 Dec 2011 - 13 Apr 2012 Kim Jong Un 13 Apr 2012 - 29 Jun 2016 WPK (first chairman) Chairmen of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly Kim Yong Nam 5 Sep 1998 - 11 Apr 2019 WPK Choe Ryong Hae 11 Apr 2019 - 11 Jul 2019 WPK First Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong Un 29 Jun 2016 - WPK |
Notes: After the death of Kim Il Sung in 1994, the post of head of State remained vacant (regardless the supreme leadership inherited by his son, Kim Jong Il) to 5 Sep 1998. In the meantime, the functions were performed jointly by the four vice-presidents of the DPRK: Park Sung Chol, Li Jong Ok, Kim Yong Chu and Kim Pyong Sik. On 5 Sep 1998 Kim Il Sung was designated posthumously as the constitutional "Eternal President" of the DRPK and the chairmanship of the National Defence Commission was elevated by the amended Constitution to the rank of "highest post in the State". The traditional duties corresponding to the head of the State were roughly performed now by the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, post reestablished on 5 Sep 1998 as well. On 13 Apr 2012 the Supreme People's Assembly proclaimed the late Kim Jong Il as the "Eternal Chairman of the National Defence Commission". The Constitution was revised to replace it with the First Chairman post, with the late leader's son and successor Kim Jong Un appointed to the new position. On 29 Jun 2016 the National Defence Commission was replaced by a State Affairs Commission. On 11 Jul 2019 it was announced that last constitutional revisions, made during the first session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly in April, implied that the post of Chairman of the State Affairs Commission was not only the Supreme Leader but also "the supreme representative of all the Korean people", which meant head of State, official function performed so far by the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly.
| Chairmen of the Council of Ministers (Premiers)
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Kim Il Sung 9 Sep 1948 - 28 Dec 1972 (1994) WPK Kim Il 28 Dec 1972 - 29 Apr 1976 (1984) WPK Park Song Chol 29 Apr 1976 - 16 Dec 1977 (2008) WPK Li Jong Ok 16 Dec 1977 - 27 Jan 1984 (1999) WPK Kang Song San 27 Jan 1984 - 29 Dec 1986 (2007) WPK Li Gun Mo 29 Dec 1986 - 12 Dec 1988 (2001) WPK Yon Hyong Muk 12 Dec 1988 - 11 Dec 1992 (2005) WPK Kang Song San 11 Dec 1992 - 21 Feb 1997 (2007) WPK Hong Song Nam 21 Feb 1997 - 3 Sep 2003 (2009) WPK (acting to 5 Sep 1998) Pak Pong Ju 3 Sep 2003 - 11 Apr 2007 WPK Kim Yong Il 11 Apr 2007 - 7 Jun 2010 WPK Choe Yong Rim 7 Jun 2010 - 1 Apr 2013 WPK Pak Pong Ju 1 Apr 2013 - 11 Apr 2019 WPK Kim Jae Ryong 11 Apr 2019 - 13 Aug 2020 WPK Kim Tok Hun 13 Aug 2020 - WPK |
| Ministers of Foreign Affairs
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Pak Hon Yong 1948-1953 (1955) WPK Nam Il 1953-1959 (1976) WPK, military Pak Song Chol 1959-1970 (2008) WPK Ho Dam 1970-1983 (1991) WPK Kim Yong Nam 1983-1998 WPK Paek Nam Sun 1998-2007 (2007) WPK Kang Sok Ju 2007 (2016) WPK (acting) Pak Ui Chun 2007-2014 WPK Ri Su Yong 2014-2016 WPK Ri Yong Ho 2016-2020 WPK Ri Son Gwon 2020- WPK |
| Ministers of People's Armed Forces
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Choi Yong Kun 1953-1957 (1976) WPK, military Kim Kwang Hyop 1957-1962 (1970) WPK, military Kim Chang Bong 1962-1968 WPK, military Choe Hyon 1968-1976 (1982) WPK, military O Jin U 1976-1995 (1995) WPK, military Choe Kwang 1995-1997 (1997) WPK, military Kim Il Chol 1997-2009 WPK, military Kim Yong Chun 2009-2012 (2018) WPK, military Kim Jong Gak 2012 WPK, military Kim Kyok Sik 2012-2013 (2015) WPK, military Jang Jong Nam 2013-2014 WPK, military Hyon Yong Chol 2014-2015 (2015) WPK, military Pak Yong Sik 2015-2018 WPK, military No Kwang Chol 2018-2019 WPK, military Kim Jong Gwan 2019- WPK, military |
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