1.
Politics of South Korea
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Politics of the Republic of Korea takes place in the framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President is the head of state, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government, legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature and comprises a Supreme Court, appellate courts, since 1948, the constitution has undergone five major revisions, each signifying a new republic. The current Sixth Republic began with the last major revision in 1987. The head of state is the president, who is elected by popular vote for a single five-year term. The president is Commander-in-Chief of the force of South Korea. The president appoints the prime minister with approval of the National Assembly, on 12 March 2004 the executive power of then president Roh Moo-hyun was suspended when the Assembly voted to impeach him and Prime Minister Goh Kun became an Acting President. On 14 May 2004 the Constitutional Court overturned the impeachment decision made by the Assembly, on 10 March 2017, Park Geun-hye became the first president to be removed by the Constitutional Court after impeachment by the National Assembly. Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn is temporarily serving as a president since the suspension of Park since 9 December 2016 until the next presidential election. The National Assembly has 300 members, elected for a term,244 members in single-seat constituencies and 56 members by proportional representation. The South Korean judiciary is independent of the two branches. The highest judiciary body is the Supreme Court, whose justices are appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly, in addition, the Constitutional Court oversees questions of constitutionality. South Korea has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, South Korea elects on national level a head of state – the president – and a legislature. The president is elected for a term by the people. The National Assembly has 300 members, elected for a term,246 members in single-seat constituencies and 54 members by proportional representation. The main political parties in South Korea are the Saenuri Party, the Democratic Party of Korea, the centrist Peoples Party, the conservative Saenuri Party and the more liberal Democratic Party are the dominant forces of South Korean politics
2.
Juche Tower
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The Juche Tower is a monument in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, named after the ideology of Juche introduced by its first leader Kim Il-sung. The Tower is situated on the east bank of the River Taedong and it was built to commemorate Kim Il-sungs 70th birthday. Although his son and successor Kim Jong-il is officially credited as its designer and it is possible to ascend the tower by elevator and there are wide views over Pyongyang from the viewing platform just below the torch. At its base, there are rooms where videos explaining the towers ideological importance are sometimes shown. It is presumed to be modelled on the Washington Monument, which it surpasses in height by less than a meter, the Juche Tower is the second tallest monumental column in the world after the San Jacinto Monument, which is 2.9 metres taller. The three tools form the insignia on the flag of the ruling Workers Party of Korea, there are also six smaller groups of figures, each 10 metres high, that symbolize other aspects of Juche ideology. A wall carrying 82 friendship plaques from supporters and Juche study groups forms part of the Tower. Monas, a similarly designed monument-tower in Jakarta, Indonesia, topped with flame statue, Washington Monument in Washington DC, an obelisk erected to commemorate George Washington. San Jacinto Monument near La Porte, Texas, the worlds tallest masonry column to commemorate the Battle of San Jacinto
3.
Juche
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Consequentially, Juche was adopted into a set of principles that the North Korean government has used to justify its policy decisions from the 1950s onwards. Such principles include moving the nation towards claimed chaju, through the construction of charip, Juche is a Sino-Korean word which is formed by hanja meaning subject and body. Literally it means subjectivity or agency, and in political discourse has a connotation of self-reliance, autonomy and it is often defined in opposition to the Korean concept of Sadae, or reliance on the great powers. Official statements by the North Korean government attribute the origin of Juche to Kim Il-Sungs experiences in the Anti-Imperialist Youth League in 1930 in his struggle against Japan. The first documented reference to Juche as an ideology appeared in 1955, in a given by Kim Il Sung entitled On Eliminating Dogmatism and Formalism. The speech had been delivered to promote a political purge similar to the earlier Yanan Rectification Movement in China. In his 1955 speech, the first known to refer to Juche, Kim Il-sung said, To make revolution in Korea we must know Korean history and geography as well as the customs of the Korean people. Only then is it possible to educate our people in a way that suits them and to inspire in them an ardent love for their native place, in North Korea it functions as the authoritative and comprehensive explanation of Juche. According to the treatise, the Workers Party of Korea is responsible for indoctrinating the masses in the ways of Juche thinking, Juche is, according to the treatise, inexorably linked with Kim Il-sung, and represents the guiding idea of the Korean Revolution. We are confronted with the task of modeling the whole society on the Juche idea. The WPKs break with basic premises of Marxism–Leninism emerges more clearly in the article Let Us March Under the Banner of Marxism–Leninism, in August 1997, the Central Peoples Committee of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea promulgated regulations regarding use of the Juche Era calendar. Gregorian calendar dates are used for years before 1912, while years from 1912 are described as Juche years, the Gregorian year 2017, for example, is Juche 106, as 2017-1911=106. When used, Juche years are often accompanied by the Gregorian equivalent, kims regime intended these principles to apply around the world, not only to Korea. Since 1976 North Korea has organized seminars on Juche. The grand International Scientific Seminar on the Juche Idea took place in Antananarivo from September 28 to 30,1976, what we want is not the perfection of political independence alone. The evil forces craftily manipulate the economic levers in order to perpetuate their supremacy and reduce us to vassals, the International Juche Research Center was established in Tokyo in 1978 to supervise international Juche research groups. The Juche Tower, completed in 1982, incorporated commemorative plaques from supporters, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Black Panther Party of the US expressed sympathy for the ideology. The Nepal Workers Peasants Party identifies Juche as its guiding idea in its governance of Bhaktapur, Kimilsungism was first mentioned by Kim Jong-il in the 1970s and was introduced alongside the Ten Principles for the Establishment of a Monolithic Ideological System
4.
North Korea
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North Korea, officially the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia, constituting the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. Pyongyang is both the capital as well as its largest city. To the north and northwest the country is bordered by China and by Russia along the Amnok, the country is bordered to the south by South Korea, with the heavily fortified Korean Demilitarized Zone separating the two. Negotiations on reunification failed, and in 1948 two separate governments were formed, the communist Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea in the north, an invasion initiated by North Korea led to the Korean War. The Korean Armistice Agreement brought about a ceasefire, and no peace treaty was ever signed. North Korea officially describes itself as a self-reliant socialist state and formally holds elections, critics regard it as a totalitarian dictatorship. Various outlets have called it Stalinist, particularly noting the elaborate cult of personality around Kim Il-sung, International organizations have assessed human rights violations in North Korea as belonging to a category of their own, with no parallel in the contemporary world. Over time, North Korea has gradually distanced itself from the world communist movement, Juche, an ideology of national self-reliance, was introduced into the constitution as a creative application of Marxism–Leninism in 1972. The means of production are owned by the state through state-run enterprises, most services such as healthcare, education, housing and food production are subsidized or state-funded. From 1994 to 1998, North Korea suffered from a famine that resulted in the deaths of between 0.24 and 3.5 million people, and the continues to struggle with food production. North Korea follows Songun, or military-first policy and it is the country with the highest number of military and paramilitary personnel, with a total of 9,495,000 active, reserve, and paramilitary personnel. Its active duty army of 1.21 million is the fourth largest in the world, after China, North Korea is an atheist state with no official religion and where public religion is discouraged. The name Korea derives from the name Goryeo, the name Goryeo itself was first used by the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo in the 5th century as a shortened form of its name. The 10th-century kingdom of Goryeo succeeded Goguryeo, and thus inherited its name, the modern spelling of Korea first appeared in the late 17th century in the travel writings of the Dutch East India Companys Hendrick Hamel. After the division of the country into North and South Korea, the two sides used different terms to refer to Korea, Chosun or Joseon in North Korea, in 1948, North Korea adopted Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea as its new legal name. After the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War, Korea was occupied by Japan, Japan tried to suppress Korean traditions and culture and ran the economy primarily for its own benefit. Korean resistance groups known as Dongnipgun operated along the Sino-Korean border, some of them took part in allied action in China and parts of South East Asia. One of the leaders was the communist Kim Il-sung, who later became the leader of North Korea
5.
Politics of Democratic People's Republic of Korea
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The politics of North Korea takes place within the framework of the official state philosophy, Juche, a concept created by Hwang Jang-yop and later attributed to Kim Il-sung. The Juche theory is the belief that through self-reliance and an independent state. In practice, North Korea functions as a one-party state under a family dictatorship, described even as an absolute monarchy with Kim Il-sung. North Koreas political system is built upon the principle of centralization, the constitution defines North Korea as a dictatorship of peoples democracy under the leadership of the Workers Party of Korea, which is given legal supremacy over other political parties. Despite the constitutions provisions for democracy, in practice, the leader, Kim Jong-un, exercises absolute control over the government. The WPK is the party of North Korea. It has been in power since its creation in 1948, two minor political parties also exist, but are legally bound to accept the ruling role of the WPK. They, with the WPK, comprise the popular front Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, elections occur only in single-candidate races where the candidate is effectively selected beforehand by the WPK. In addition to the parties, there are over 100 mass organizations controlled by the WPK and those who are not WPK members are required to join one of these organizations. These four organizations are also DFRF members and he was succeeded by his son, Kim Jong-il. While the younger Kim had been his fathers designated successor since the 1980s and he was named to his fathers old post of General Secretary in 1997, and in 1998 became chairman of the National Defence Commission, which gave him command of the armed forces. The constitution was amended to make the NDC chairmanship the highest post in the state, at the same time, the presidential post was written out of the constitution, and Kim Il-sung was designated Eternal President of the Republic in order to honor his memory forever. Most analysts believe the title to be a product of the cult of personality he cultivated during his life, in recent years, there has been great emphasis on the Songun or military-first philosophy. All references to communism were removed from the North Korean constitution in 2009, Kim Jong-ils public activity focused heavily on on-the-spot guidance of places and events related to the military. All ten NDC members were ranked within the top twenty on September 5, suffrage is guaranteed to all citizens aged 17 and over. In reality, elections in North Korea are non-competitive and feature single-candidate races only, all elected candidates are members of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, a popular front dominated by the ruling Workers Party of Korea. The two minor parties in the coalition are the Chondoist Chongu Party and the Korean Social Democratic Party, the WPK exercises direct control over the candidates selected for election by members of the other two parties. Originally a close ally of Stalins USSR, North Korea has increasingly emphasized Juche, Juche was enshrined as the official ideology when the country adopted a new constitution in 1972
6.
Constitution of North Korea
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The Socialist Constitution of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea is the constitution of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea. It lays out the framework of the government and the functions of the ruling state party. The constitution is divided into 166 articles, split between three sections, previous constitutions were adopted in 1948,1972,1992,1998. and 2013. The constitution in force currently dates from 2016, the original North Korean constitution was based on the 1936 constitution of the USSR. This constitution was adopted at the first Supreme Peoples Assembly in September 1948, joseph Stalin personally edited the constitution alongside Terentii Shtykov, de facto Soviet governor of North Korea, in Moscow. Some articles were later rewritten by Soviet supervisors, under the 1948 constitution, the Supreme Peoples Assembly was the highest organ in the state, while the Presidium of the SPA was responsible for initiating action and policymaking. The 1948 constitution became obsolete when it was replaced by a new constitution in 1972, proposing a DPRK new constitution had been discussed as early as 1960. However, in the international environment meant that North Korea could no longer postpone a constitutional revision. This can be seen in Kim Il-sung’s speech at the first session of the fifth Supreme Peoples Assembly on December 25,1972, under the old constitution, there was no one designated as the head of state. The chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly represented the state followed the Soviet practice. The constitution makes references to the Juche ideology, leading Christopher Hale to conclude that it would be accurate to call the constitution a Juche constitution. The 1998 Kim Il-sung Constitution appointed Kim Il-sung, who had died in 1994, the new, amended in 2009 version of DPRK Constitution is called the Songun Constitution. It is six articles longer than the version adopted in of 1998. Section 2 of Chapter VI “Chairman of the National Defence Commission” is entirely new, in Articles 29 and 40 the word 공산주의 was dropped. Accordingly, the Constitution was named the Kim Il-sung–Kim Jong-il Constitution, the Constitution was amended on April 1,2013. The Constitution was amended in June 2016 which replaced the National Defence Commission with the State Affairs Commission placing Kim Jong-un as head of state, the constitution establishes North Koreas official name and its status as a socialist state. Article 12 defines the country as a dictatorship of peoples democracy under the leadership of the Workers Party and it provides for civil and political rights, such as freedom of expression, the right to elect officials, the right to a fair trial, and freedom of religion. It asserts the right of every citizen to work, education, food, ten Principles for the Establishment of a Monolithic Ideological System Dae-kyu Yoon
7.
Songun
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Songun is the military first policy of North Korea, prioritizing the Korean Peoples Army in the affairs of state and allocation of resources. Songun elevates the Korean Peoples Army within North Korea as an organization and as a function, granting it the primary position in the North Korean government. It guides domestic policy and international interactions and it is the framework for the government, designating the military as the supreme repository of power. The North Korean government grants the Korean Peoples Army the highest economic and resource-allocation priority, Songun is also the ideological concept behind a shift in policies since 1994 which emphasize the peoples military over all other aspects of state and society. The roots of Songun are traced to Kim Il-sungs activities during the struggle of the 1930s. The songun era began in 1960 when a young Kim Jong-il, together with his father Kim Il-sung and it was the first of Kim Jong-ils many visits to various Korean Peoples Army installations across North Korea. August 25 is now a holiday, the Day of Songun. Songun did not appear as a government policy until after Kim Il-sungs death in 1994. This was a shift from the governments previous guiding policy, Kim Il-sungs juche. By this point, the Peoples Army had also become synonymous with the people, the state, together, all of this indicates not only the centrality of Kim Jong-il to the songun ideology, but also its increasing rhetorical centrality to the state and society. Songun became a more prominent concept in January 1999, making its first appearance in the important New Years Day editorial published jointly by all the major news organs of North Korea. In foreign language publications, the translated term army-first substituted for Songun between 1999 and 2006, after which the Korean term has been used exclusively, in January 2003, the New Years editorial added military-first ideology to the pantheon of military-first concepts. In December 2003, the Essential Attributes of Military-First Politics was published as a new vision of the force of the revolution in the quasi-communist North Korea. It assigned the main force of the revolution to the Korean Peoples Army and this is a role that traditionally, in communist societies, is assigned to the proletariat or, in China, to the peasantry. For North Korea, however, only the army meets the criteria of loyalty, revolutionary spirit, cohesiveness, Songun has continued to expand in importance and is even now included in the ideological discussion of reunification with South Korea. The North Korean press stated, ongun politics is the guarantee that will secure the re-unification of the Fatherland, North Korea also credits songun with safeguarding the peace on the peninsula and claims that it is the only thing preventing the United States from attacking North Korea. Songun has become intrinsic to North Koreas domestic politics, foreign policy, a thirteenth wonder is reported to have been created in 2016. The first nine of these sites have been promoted by North Korean authorities and have become tourist destinations
8.
Eternal leaders of Juche Korea
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The appellation Eternal President of the Republic was established by a line in the preface to the Constitution of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, as amended on September 5,1998. In addition, North Korea adopted a Juche calendar dating from 1912, the President of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea was established in the Constitution of North Korea,1972. Until then, Kim Il-sung, the ruler of North Korea, used the posts Premier, in 1972 the Presidency was established and Kim Il-sung was elected to the post by the Supreme Peoples Assembly, the North Korean parliament, on 28 December 1972. Kim held the post until 1994 when he died, to this day without a formal succession, the revised constitution abolished the presidency and established the honorific title of Eternal President of the Republic, which was given to Kim Il-sung. As of 2017 there is no President of North Korea, as the office was vacant from the death of Kim Il-sung in 1994. The latter Kim is also the chairman of the Workers Party of Korea, family dictatorship Political religion President for Life Sacred king List of state leaders Kim Jong-il. Let Us Hold the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung in High Esteem as the Eternal President of Our Republic
9.
Kim Il-sung
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Kim Il-sung was the supreme leader of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, commonly referred to as North Korea, for 46 years, from its establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of Prime Minister from 1948 to 1972 and he was also the leader of the Workers Party of Korea from 1949 to 1994. Coming to power after the overthrow of Japanese rule in 1945, he authorized the invasion of South Korea in 1950, a cease-fire in the Korean War was signed on 27 July 1953. Under his leadership, North Korea became a workers state with a publicly owned planned economy. It had close political and economic relations with the Soviet Union, by the 1960s and 1970s, North Korea enjoyed a relatively high standard of living, outperforming the South, which was riddled with political instability and economic crises. Despite this, the country still received massive funds, subsidies, during this period, the DPRK also remained critical of capitalism and the United States, seizing the American ship USS Pueblo in 1968. A cult of personality around Kim Il-sung came to domestic politics. His birthday is a holiday in North Korea and is called the Day of the Sun. Controversy surrounds Kims life before the founding of North Korea, with some sources labeling him an impostor, several sources indicate that the name Kim Il-sung had previously been used by a prominent early leader of the Korean resistance, Kim Kyung-cheon. The Soviet officer Grigory Mekler, who worked with Kim during the Soviet occupation, however, historian Andrei Lankov has argued that this is unlikely to be true. Several witnesses knew Kim before and after his time in the Soviet Union, including his superior, Zhou Baozhong, historian Bruce Cumings pointed out that Japanese officers from the Kwantung Army have attested to his fame as a resistance figure. Historians generally accept that, while Kims exploits were exaggerated by the personality cult that was built around him, Kims family is said to have originated from Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. His great-grandfather, Kim Ung-u, settled in Mangyong-dae in 1860, Kim is reported to have been born in the small village of Mangyungbong near Pyongyang on 15 April 1912. Born to Kim Hyŏng-jik and Kang Pan-sŏk, who gave him the name Kim Sŏng-ju, according to Kim, his family was not very poor, but was always a step away from poverty. According to the version, Kim’s family participated in anti-Japanese activities. Like most Korean families, they resented the Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula, another view seems to be that his family settled in Manchuria, as many Koreans had at the time to escape famine. Nonetheless, Kims parents, especially Kims mother Kang Ban Suk and their exact involvement — whether their cause was missionary, nationalist, or both — is unclear nevertheless. Still, Japanese repression of opposition was brutal, resulting in the arrest and this repression forced many Korean families to flee Korea and settle in Manchuria
10.
Kim Jong-il
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Kim Jong-il was the supreme leader of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, commonly referred to as North Korea, from 1994 to 2011. By the early 1980s Kim had become the heir apparent for the leadership of the country and assumed important posts in the party and he succeeded his father and founder of the DPRK, Kim Il-sung, following the elder Kims death in 1994. Kims leadership is thought to have even more authoritarian than his fathers. During Kims regime, the country suffered from famine, partially due to economic mismanagement, Kim involved his country in state terrorism and strengthened the role of the military by his Songun, or military-first, politics. Kims rule also saw tentative economic reforms, including the opening of the Kaesong Industrial Park in 2003, in April 2009, North Koreas constitution was amended to officially refer to him as the supreme leader of the DPRK. The most common title given to him during his reign was The Dear Leader to distinguish him from his father Kim Il-sung. Following Kims failure to appear at important public events in 2008, Kim Jong-ils mother, Kim Jong-suk, was Kim Il-sungs first wife. Inside his family, he was nicknamed Yura, while his younger brother Kim Man-il was nicknamed Shura, however, Kim Jong-ils official biography states he was born in a secret military camp on Paektu Mountain in Japanese-occupied Korea on 16 February 1942. According to one comrade of Kims mother, Lee Min, word of Kims birth first reached a camp in Vyatskoye via radio. In 1945, Kim was four years old when World War II ended and his father returned to Pyongyang that September, and in late November Kim returned to Korea via a Soviet ship, landing at Sonbong. The family moved into a former Japanese officers mansion in Pyongyang, with a garden, Kim Jong-ils brother drowned there in 1948. Reports indicate that his mother died in childbirth in 1949, according to his official biography, Kim completed the course of general education between September 1950 and August 1960. He attended Primary School No.4 and Middle School No.1 in Pyongyang. This is contested by academics, who believe he is more likely to have received his early education in the Peoples Republic of China as a precaution to ensure his safety during the Korean War. Throughout his schooling, Kim was involved in politics and he was active in the Korean Childrens Union and the Democratic Youth League of North Korea, taking part in study groups of Marxist political theory and other literature. In September 1957 he became vice-chairman of his middle schools DYL branch and he pursued a programme of anti-factionalism and attempted to encourage greater ideological education among his classmates. Kim is also said to have received English language education at the University of Malta in the early 1970s, the elder Kim had meanwhile remarried and had another son, Kim Pyong-il. Since 1988, Kim Pyong-il has served in a series of North Korean embassies in Europe and was the North Korean ambassador to Poland, foreign commentators suspect that Kim Pyong-il was sent to these distant posts by his father in order to avoid a power struggle between his two sons
11.
Workers' Party of Korea
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The Workers Party of Korea is the founding and ruling political party of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, and the largest party represented in the Supreme Peoples Assembly. The WPK is the governing party of North Korea, although it coexists de jure with two other legal parties making up the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland. It was founded in 1949 with the merger of the Workers Party of North Korea, the WPK also controls the worlds 5th largest armed force - Korean Peoples Army. This political party remains illegal in South Korea under the countrys National Security Act, the WPK is organized according to the Monolithic Ideological System and the Great Leader, a system and theory conceived by Kim Yong-ju and Kim Jong-il. The highest body of the WPK is formally the Congress, however, between 1980 and 2016, there were no congresses held. Although the WPK is, organizationally similar to communist parties, in practice it is far less institutionalized, Kim Jong-un is the current WPK leader, serving as Chairman and CMC chairman. The WPK is committed to Juche, and at the 4th Conference the party charter was amended to state that Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism was the guiding idea of the party. Party ideology has recently focused on perceived imperialist enemies of the party and state, the Partys emblem is an adaptation of the communist hammer and sickle, with a traditional Korean calligraphy brush symbolizing the working intellectual. On 13 October 1945 the North Korean Bureau of the Communist Party of Korea was established, however, the NKB–CPK remained subordinate to the CPK Central Committee. Two months later, at the 3rd Plenum of the NKB, in spring 1946 the North Korean Bureau became the Communist Party of North Korea, with Kim Il-sung its elected chairman. On 22 July 1946 Soviet authorities in North Korea established the United Democratic National Front, the Communist Party of North Korea soon merged with the New Peoples Party of Korea, a party primarily composed of communists from China. On 28 July 1946 a special commission of the two parties ratified the merger, and it became official the following day, one month later the party held its founding congress, establishing the Workers Party of North Korea. The congress elected former leader of the New Peoples Party of Korea Kim Tu-bong as the first WPNK chairman, however, despite his formal downgrade in the partys hierarchy Kim Il-sung remained its leader. Party control increased throughout the country after the congress, from 27–30 March 1948, the WPNK convened its 2nd Congress. While Kim Tu-bong was still the formal head, Kim Il-sung presented the main report to the congress. In it he claimed that North Korea was a base of democracy, on 28 April 1948 a special session of the Supreme Peoples Assembly approved the constitution, which led to the official establishment of an independent North Korea. It did not call for the establishment of an independent North Korea, but for a unified Korea, Kim Il-sung was the appointed head of government of the new state, with Kim Tu-bong heading the legislative branch. A year later, on 30 June 1949, the Workers Party of Korea was created with the merger of the WPNK and the Workers Party of South Korea
12.
Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea
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Chairman of the Workers Party of Korea is the title given to the leader of the Workers Party of Korea. From 1946 to 1966, the leader was called Chairman of the Central Committee. The 2012 Party Conference decided to hold Kim Jong Il … in high esteem as Eternal General Secretary of the WPK …, Kim Jong Un, who was First Secretary, was elected to fill the new position. Let Us Brilliantly Accomplish the Revolutionary Cause of Juche, Holding Kim Jong Il in High Esteem as the Eternal General Secretary of Our Party
13.
Kim Jong-un
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Kim Jong-un is the Chairman of the Workers Party of Korea and supreme leader of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, commonly referred to as North Korea. The People of Korea call him their Supreme Leader, Kim is the child of Kim Jong-il. Little is known for certain about Kim Jong-un, before taking power, he had barely been seen in public, and many of the activities of both Kim and his government remain shrouded in secrecy. Even details such as what year he was born, and whether he did indeed attend a Western school under a pseudonym, are difficult to confirm with certainty, Kim was officially declared the supreme leader following the state funeral of his father on 28 December 2011. Kim obtained two degrees, one in physics at Kim Il-sung University, and another as an Army officer at the Kim Il-sung Military University, on 9 March 2014, Kim Jong-un was elected unopposed to the Supreme Peoples Assembly. At 32 or 33 years of age, Kim is the first North Korean leader born after the countrys founding, Kim was named the Worlds 46th Most Powerful Person by the Forbes list of The Worlds Most Powerful People in 2013. Scarce information on Kim Jong-uns early life comes from North Korean defectors and people who have claimed to witness him abroad, such as during his school attendance in Switzerland. Some of the information has been conflicting and contradictory, perhaps confusing him with his brother, Kim Jong-chul, nevertheless, there has been some consensus on information about his early life. North Korean authorities have stated that his birthdate is 8 January 1982, former basketball star Dennis Rodman said that the birthdate is 8 January 1983 after meeting Kim in September 2013 in North Korea. According to reports first published in Japanese newspapers, he went to school in Switzerland near Bern, First reports claimed he attended the private English-language International School in Gümligen under the name Chol-pak or Pak-chol from 1993 to 1998. He was described as shy, a student who got along well with his classmates and was a basketball fan. He was chaperoned by a student, who was thought to be his bodyguard. He was described as a well-integrated and ambitious student who liked to play basketball, however, his grades and attendance rating are reported to have been poor. The ambassador of North Korea in Switzerland, Ri Chol, had a relationship with him. One of Pak-uns classmates told reporters that he had told him that he was the son of the leader of North Korea, one friend claimed that he had been shown pictures of Pak-un with Kobe Bryant and Toni Kukoč. In April 2012, new documents came to light indicating that Kim Jong-un had lived in Switzerland since 1991 or 1992, the head of the institute, Raoul Perrot, a forensic anthropologist, considers it most likely that the two pictures show the same person. It is believed that the student at the Gümligen International School may not have been Kim Jong-un and it is not known whether the student known as Pak-un in Liebefeld Steinhölzli lived in Switzerland prior to 1998. All the children of Kim Jong-il are said to have lived in Switzerland, Most analysts agree that Kim Jong-un attended Kim Il-sung University, a leading officer-training school in Pyongyang, from 2002 to 2007
14.
Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea
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The Central Committee of the Workers Party of Korea is the leadership body of the Workers Party of Korea. According to Party rules, the Central Committee directs the Party work between the Party Congresses and it is elected by the Party Congress itself, although Party conferences can be called to perform this duty as well. The current Central Committee, the 6th, was elected by the 6th WPK Congress in 1980, the Central Committee, which is currently made up by more than 300 people between full members and alternate members, should meet at least once every year. However, no meeting at all was convened between the 21st Plenary Meeting of the 6th Central Committee in December 1993 and the September 28,2010 Plenary Meeting and it also organizes the Central Military Commission, the Control Commission and the Secretariat of the Central Committee. The many Party departments are nominally under the Central Committees jurisdiction, unlike many other ruling communist parties, the Central Committee doesnt elect the General Secretary of the Workers Party of Korea, who is elected by the Party Congress directly. One of the aspects of its long paralysis from 1993 to 2010 is that all members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau but Kim Jong-il died in the meantime. In March 2013, after more than two years since the last, a meeting of the Party Central Committee was convened prior to the Supreme Peoples Assembly session. The Politburo rules the Party while the Central Committee is not in meeting and it currently has 22 full members and 16 alternate members. It also has the power to propose or commend important state leaders, like the Premier, the true day-to-day ruling body, however, is the Presidium of the Politburo, currently made up of four members, including supreme leader Kim Jong-un. The Secretariat of the Central Committee is tasked with executive and administrative duties, the Secretariat is made up by the Party First Secretary plus other secretaries of the Central Committee. The authority of the WPK Central Committee is enforced through a number of at least 15 departments charged with specific tasks, Department directors are usually Central Committee members themselves. There follows a list of departments and their heads. The Organization and Guidance Department is one of the most important departments since it controls party, army, Kim Jong-il succeeded his uncle Kim Yong-ju as department director in 1974, and never officially relinquished that post, therefore, its first deputy director managed OGD daily affairs. It is currently led by leader Kim Jong-uns aunt Kim Kyong-hui and this marks the third consecutive head belonging to the ruling Kim family. Similar to the OGD, the Administration Department oversees personnel appointments and it was merged into the OGD in 1990 and restored in 2007. Its director was Jang Song-taek from 2007 to 2013, other important departments include the Propaganda and Agitation Department, the United Front Department, the Military Affairs Department, and the Workers Organizations Department. September 2010 Plenary Meeting Date, September 28,2010 Location, Pyongyang Significance, elected Politburo, Secretariat, Central Military Commission, Central Control Commission and department directors. First meeting attended by Kim Jong-un, who was elected vice-chairman of the Military Commission, March 2013 Plenary Meeting Date, March 31,2013 Location, Pyongyang Significance, First meeting after the 4th Party Conference
15.
Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea
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The Politburo of the Workers Party of Korea is the highest leading body of the Workers Party of Korea. The Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee shall meet at least once every month, the Politburo is elected by the Central Committee of the Workers Party of Korea. After Kim Il-sung’s unitary ruling system was established in the late 1960s and it became a rubber stamp where only the voices of Kim’s loyal supporters were heard. Nevertheless, it remained a body where constructive opinions could be voiced, as Kim Jong-il inherited more of his fathers power and authority, the leadership system changed in important ways. Institutionally, Kim shifted the center of gravity within the Party from the Politburo to the Secretariat, in 1994,29 out of 50 North Korean elites had worked for the KWP Politburo. This means that body was an important stop on the road to advancement. In 2006, however, only eight members of the elite had served in the Politburo, publicized Politburo meetings became more frequent after Kim Jong-un took power in December 2011. Officially, the Politburo is responsible for conducting its activities as well as deciding on important issues between two Central Committee plenums and should meet once a month and its members include important state and military leaders, as the Premier and the vice-chairmen of the National Defence Commission. The Politburos inner body is the Politburo Standing Committee, elected by the WPK Central Committee and it is usually made up by the supreme leader and four other members
16.
Organization and Guidance Department
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The OGDs main responsibility is to completely implement the teaching and decisions of the Suryong. North Korean specialist Nicolas Levi refers to the OGD as The heart of the North Korean system, according to Hwang Jang-yop, a member of the WPK Secretariat turned dissident, the leading figures of North Korea belong to the OGD. It is believed by Nicolas Levi that those who accompany Kim Jong-un on on-site inspections are OGD officials, some of its powers were given to the WPK Administrative Department, in a bid to weaken the influence of those working in the OGD. However, with the execution of Jang Song-thaek, the AD Head, there are those, most prominently the defector Jang Jin-sung, who currently argue that the leaders of the OGD are the real leaders of North Korea, and that Kim Jong-un is a puppet. He concludes that Kim Jong-un will remain a puppet as long as Kim Jong-ils old proteges still control the OGD. Michael Madden of the North Korea Leadership Watch disagrees, claiming instead that the OGD implements the directives of the Supreme Leader, under Kim Jong-ils stewardship, the OGD was turned into the centre of power within the WPK. Deputy heads are leading figures within the North Korean establishment, with one likening them to a kind of priesthood in the DPRK. It should be noticed that not all deputy heads are actually involved in the affairs of the OGD, sanctions against deputy heads are kept confidential from the rest of the party. A similar case took place in 2003, when Jang Song-thaek was dismissed, Office for Party Life Office of Comprehensive Affairs Office for Appeals Office for Local Guidance Office for Membership Registration
17.
Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist Youth League
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The Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist Youth League is a North Korean youth organization. It is the youth organization in North Korea. Directly under the party Central Committee, it is the mass organization expressly mentioned in the charter of the Workers Party of Korea. Youth under 15 may join the Young Pioneer Corps, itself a part of the larger Korean Childrens Union, the League was founded by Kim Il-sung on January 17,1946 as the Democratic Youth League of North Korea. It became the wing of the Workers Party of North Korea. It was renamed the Democratic Youth League of Korea and in May 1964 renamed as the League of Socialist Working Youth of Korea and it assumed the name Kim Il-sung Socialist Youth League on its 50th anniversary in 1996. The 8th congress of the league was held in February 1993, after a 12-year lapse since the 7th congress. The last conference was held on 12 July 2012, after ten years since the previous one, the 9th congress has been convened for January 2016, after 23 years since the previous one. During the speech, Kim Song-chol said that the country should bolster death-defying corps, the 47th plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the KSYL was held, in Pyongyang, on 22 March 2012. At the meeting, former First Secretary Ri Yong-chol was relieved of his post due to his age, recently, Choe Ryong-hae has been replacing military officials with KSYL members. The Kim Il-sung Socialist Youth League was renamed as the Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist Youth League at its 9th Congress held on 27-28 August 2016, within the government, the KSYL coordinates the national youth policy of North Korea together with other youth-serving ministries, such as the Ministry of Education. The league is the party’s most important ideological and organizational training ground, with branches, Youth league cells exist in the army, factories, cooperative farms, schools, cultural institutions, and government agencies. The youth movement shifted its focus after Kim Il-sungs death and expanded its ideological indoctrination to include the revolutionary accomplishments of Kim Jong-il and the brilliance of Songun. The KSYL, by restricting the ideological culture and organized groups of all youths and it also organizes all youths to be actively involved in production, construction, and military service. The KSYL plays the important role of restricting any form of groups or actions among the youth of North Korea. Members of the KSYL perform spot checks to see if North Koreans are maintaining ideological purity, ernst Thälmann Pioneer Organisation Free German Youth Komsomol Communist Youth League of China Red Guards Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization
18.
Chairman of the State Affairs Commission
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The post was first called as Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. It was confirmed as the highest position in the country on 5 September 1998, the Supreme Peoples Assembly elects the Chairman for a period of five years. The election is held immediately subsequent to the election of a new Peoples Assembly, the past holder of the position was Kim Jong-il, who was elected on 9 April 1993, running unopposed, and was re-elected on 1998,2003 and 2009. He died on 17 December 2011, on 24 December 2011, the Politburo of the Workers Party of Korea formally appointed Kim Jong-un as the Supreme Commander of the Korean Peoples Army. There is debate as to whether highest office of state should be considered equivalent to head of state, Kim Il-sung, the first leader of North Korea, was declared Eternal President, but it appears that the office is a facet of his extensive cult of personality. However, a 2009 amendment to the countrys 1972 constitution named the Chairman of the National Defense Commission as the leader of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. This means the NDC chairman is the highest government official in the country, in reality, the chairman holds absolute authority in governing the country. Here are the duties and functions of the Chairman of the National Defense Commission as the leader of North Korea. At the 10th Supreme People’s Assembly, newly installed SPA President Kim Yong-nam spoke about the powers of the NDC Chairman, Central Military Commission of the Workers Party of Korea
19.
Korean People's Army
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The Korean Peoples Army constitutes the military force of North Korea and, under the Songun policy, the central institution of North Korean society. Kim Jong-un is the Supreme Commander of the Korean Peoples Army, the KPA defence force consists of five branches, Ground Force, the Navy, the Air Force, the Strategic Rocket Forces, and the Special Operation Force. The Worker-Peasant Red Guards also come under control of the KPA, the KPA faces its primary adversaries, the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and United States Forces Korea, across the Korean Demilitarized Zone, as it has since the Armistice Agreement of July 1953. As of 2016, with 5,889,000 paramilitary personnel and this number represents 25% of the population. North Korea officially dates the foundation of the KPA back to the establishment of Kim Il-sungs anti-Japanese guerrilla army, in 1978, Military Foundation Day was changed from 8 February to 25 April, the nominal day of establishment of this army in 1932. In 1939, the Korean Volunteer Army, was formed in Yanan, the two individuals responsible for the army were Kim Tu-bong and Mu Chong. At the same time, a school was established near Yanan for training military, by 1945, the KVA had grown to approximately 1,000 men, mostly Korean deserters from the Imperial Japanese Army. During this period, the KVA fought alongside the Chinese communist forces from which it drew its arms, by September 1945, the KVA had a 2,500 strong force at its disposal. The headquarters felt a need for a unit for security around railways. That unit was activated on 15 August of the year to supervise existing security forces. Military institutes such as the Pyongyang Academy and the Central Constabulary Academy soon followed for education of political, after the military was organized and facilities to educate its new recruits were constructed, the Constabulary Discipline Corps was reorganized into the Korean Peoples Army General Headquarters. The previously semi-official units became military regulars with distribution of Soviet uniforms, badges, the State Security Department, a forerunner to the Ministry of Peoples Defense, was created as part of the Interim Peoples Committee on 4 February 1948. In addition, the Ministry of State for the Peoples Armed Forces was established, before the outbreak of the Korean War, Joseph Stalin equipped the KPA with modern tanks, trucks, artillery, and small arms. On 4 November, China openly staged a military intervention, on 7 December, Kim Il-sung was deprived of the right of command of KPA by China. The KPA subsequently played a minor role to Chinese forces in the remainder of the conflict. By the time of the Armistice in 1953, the KPA had sustained 290,000 casualties, in 1953, the Military Armistice Commission was able to oversee and enforce the terms of the armistice. Soviet thinking on the scale was replaced since December 1962 with a peoples war concept. The Soviet idea of warfare was replaced with a Maoist war of attrition strategy
20.
Government of North Korea
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In the government of North Korea, the cabinet is the administrative and executive body. The North Korean government consists of three branches, administrative, legislative, and judicial, however, they are not independent of each other. The government is confirmed by the Supreme Peoples Assembly. The SPA chooses a Premier, who appoints three Vice Premiers and the governments ministers, the government is dominated by the ruling Workers Party of Korea and has been since North Koreas inception in 1948. The Cabinet now has the right to supervise and control the Local Peoples Committee with regard to local economies, as the State Administrative Council was replaced by the Cabinet, the Local Administrative and Economic Committee was abolished and its functions regarding local politics transferred to the LPC. A party chief secretary no longer holds the post of LPC chairman Hyun Seo-yeo. Thus, the LPC is theoretically independent of the party and is under the control of the Cabinet. The status of the LPC as the executive organ, in principle. The Economist Intelligence Unit listed North Korea in last place as a regime in its 2012 Democracy Index assessing 168 countries. Their terms of office coincide with those of the members of the Supreme Peoples Assembly, every court in North Korea has the same composition as the Central Court. The judicial system is held accountable to the SPA and the Presidium of the SPA when the legislature is not in session. The judiciary does not practice judicial review, freedom House states that, North Korea does not have an independent judiciary and does not acknowledge individual rights. The former constitution had last been amended in 1992, under the new constitution, North Korea is a socialist state representing the interests of all the Korean people. Criminal penalties can be stiff, one of the functions of the system is to uphold the power of the regime. Because so little information is available concerning what actually occurs inside of the country, in any case, North Korea is known for its poor human rights situation and regularly detains thousands of dissidents without trial or benefit of legal advice. According to a US Department of State report on human rights practices, the Workers Party of Korea is organized according to the Monolithic Ideological System and the Great Leader, a system and theory conceived by Kim Yong-ju and Kim Jong-il. The highest body of the WPK is formally the Congress, however, although the WPK is organizationally similar to communist parties, in practice it is far less institutionalized and informal politics plays a larger role than usual. Kim Jong-un is the current WPK leader, serving as First Secretary, Chang was already regarded as the second-most powerful person in North Korea and his appointment strengthened the probability that Kims third son, Kim Jong-un, would succeed him
21.
Cabinet of North Korea
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The Cabinets principal newspaper is Minju Choson. In North Koreas first constitution, adopted in 1948, the powers were vested in the Cabinet. The Central Peoples Committee provided the highest visible institutional link between the government and the party and serves in effect as a de facto super-cabinet, the National Defence Commission was then sub-committee of this body. The CPCs formal powers were all-inclusive and it was chaired by the President, the CPC also may issue decrees, decisions, and instructions. The State Administration Council was guided by the CPC and was led by a premier and included vice premiers, ministers, committee chairmen,1982 saw the Peoples Armed Forces and Public Security Ministries assigned directly to the President together with the State Inspection Commission. In 1990, by a CPC decision, the NDC became fully independent from it as a separate institution, in 1998 amendments to the Constitution, the Central Peoples Committee and the State Administration were abolished, and the Cabinet was re-created. Thus, the Cabinet is not only the highest executive enforcement organ but was expanded to become the general State management organ. Emphasizing its expanded role, on January 1999 Kim Jong-il stated that The party organizations, the party should help the cabinet to be responsible for all economic affairs. Last year we made a new system where the cabinet is supposed to be the control tower of the economy. No organizational unit should handle economic problems without consulting the cabinet. The cabinet is appointed and accountable to the Supreme Peoples Assembly, the SPA chooses the Premier of North Korea who appoints three vice premiers and the cabinets ministers. All members of the cabinet are members of the Workers Party of Korea which rules the country since its establishment in 1948, while the SPA is not in session, the cabinet is accountable to the Presidium of the Supreme Peoples Assembly. The Cabinet, as the branch of the North Korean state, is responsible for implementing the states economic policies. The cabinet is not responsible for defense and security issues, as those are handled by the National Defense Commission, thus, the security organizations such as the Korean Peoples Army, Ministry of Peoples Security and State Security Department report and subordinated directly to the National Defense Commission. The Cabinet convenes a meeting and an executive meeting. The cabinet forms acts in the form of decisions and directives, the Cabinet shall, adopt measures to execute state policy. Institute, amend, and supplement regulations concerning state management based on the Constitution, guide the work of the Cabinet commissions, ministries, direct organs of the Cabinet, local people’s committees. Set up and remove direct organs of the Cabinet, main administrative economic organizations, and enterprises, draft the State plan for the development of the national economy and adopt measures to put it into effect. Compile the State budget and adopt measures to implement it, adopt measures to strengthen the monetary and banking system
22.
Premier of North Korea
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The Premier of the Cabinet is nominally the non-executive head of government of North Korea. He is commonly known in the English-speaking world as Prime Minister of North Korea, originally, under the 1948 Constitution of the DPRK, the prime minister was a very important post and held actual power over the government. The 1972 Constitution created the post of President of the DPRK for Kim Il-sung, transferring to it all the paramount power, the first prime minister after Kim Il-sung was his long-time ally Kim Il. The post was officially known as Premier of the Administration Council. After Kim Il-sung died, the post of president remained vacant as Kim Jong-il planned a new State reorganization, a constitution revision in 1998 abolished both the Central Peoples Committee and the Administration Council, re-creating the Cabinet. The prime minister represents and oversees the cabinet, which is charged with executing the policies decided by the Central Committee of the Workers Party of Korea, the office has no policy-making authority of its own. The prime minister is represented by a number of deputy prime ministers, list of Prime Ministers of North Korea There are two post of Vice Premier in North Korea and act as a high-ranking executive assistant to the Premier. Currently there is one title holder, Kim Tok-hun. List of previous officer holders, Choe Yong-gon - executed 2015 Kim Yong Jin - Vice Premier for Education executed 2016 Prime Minister of Korea Government of North Korea
23.
Pak Pong-ju
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Pak Pong-ju is the current Premier of North Korea, serving in that office since April 2013. He served a term from September 3,2003 until April 11,2007. Pak began his career in 1962 as manager of the Yongchon food factory in North Pyongan Province and he became an alternative member of the ruling Korean Workers Party Central Committee in October 1980, and chief of the Namhung Youth Chemical Combine Committee in July 1983. In May 1993, he became director of the KWPs Light Industries Department. In July of that year, Pak ranked 188th out of 273 members on the committee of the late leader Kim Il-sung, indicating that he was on the periphery of the elite hierarchy. However, in September 1998, he was appointed to the portfolio under premier Hong Song-nam. In 2005, in a session of the Supreme Peoples Assembly Pak spoke regarding the reintroduction of the Public distribution system. He had not been seen in public since May 2006, as Premier, Pak Pong-ju is the head of government in the DPRK, and formed the top executive leadership of the DPRK with other executive officials. The other branch of the government is the National Defense Commission of North Korea. As premier, he is responsible for organizing the cabinet and appoints ministers and vice-premiers upon confirmation by the Supreme Peoples Assembly, prior to becoming Premier, Pak had served as Chemical Industry Minister. He serves as part of a committee heading the branch of the North Korean government, along with Kim Jong-un. Each man nominally holds one-third of the held by a president in most presidential systems. Pak handles domestic affairs, Kim Yong-nam conducts foreign relations and Kim Jong-un commands the armed forces and he effectively replaced Kim Jong-ils sister Kim Kyong-hui as director of the Party Light Industry Department in 2012. He was reputed close to Jang Sung-taek and part of the current shifting of the attention to the consumer economy. On March 31,2013 he was elected Politburo member and replaced by Paek Kye-ryong as department director, on April 1, he replaced Choe Yong-rim for a second term as Premier. In July, it was announced that Paks cabinet had full authority over economic measures by calling to unconditionally executing the cabinet’s decisions and instructions
24.
Supreme People's Assembly
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The Supreme Peoples Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea. It consists of one deputy from each of 687 constituencies, elected to five-year terms, the constitution recognizes the Workers Party as the leading party of the state. Elections are held in intervals, the most recent taking place in 2014. Although the Supreme Peoples Assembly is the legislative body of the DPRK, it ordinarily delegates authority to the smaller and more powerful Presidium. The last convention during Kim Il-sungs government took place in April 1994, then during the mourning period the assembly did not meet, nor did elections take place. The next meeting convened in September 1998, four years after Kims death, Kim Jong-il did not make a speech at the first session of the 10th SPA in 1998. Instead, members listened to a speech of the late Kim Il Sung. The enhanced status of the Korean Peoples Army was anticipated by the SPA election July 1998 and this was a large increase from the 57 military officials elected during the 9th SPA in 1990. Kim Yong-nam has been president of the Assembly Presidum and de jure head of state of North Korea since 1998, choe Thae-bok, Kim Wan-su and Hong Son Ok are the Vice-Chairmen. On April 14,2012, during the session of the 12th Supreme Peoples Assembly Kim Jong Un was elected as the countrys supreme leader. His status as leader was reaffirmed when he was elected unopposed by the people on March 9,2014 in a record turn-out of voters, Kim had nominated to represent his district, the symbolic Mount Paekduto, in the assembly election. Voters could vote yes or no with all voting in the affirmative, under the Constitution of North Korea, all citizens 17 and older, regardless of party affiliation, political views, or religion, are eligible to be elected to the legislature and vote in elections. The Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland is a popular front dominated by the Korean Workers Party, elections are ostensibly by secret ballot. However, only one candidate who has been selected by the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland appears on the ballot, a voter may cross off the candidates name to vote against them, but must do so in a special booth without any secrecy. Many North Korean defectors claimed that such an act of defiance is too risky to even attempt, according to the Constitution of North Korea, it is the highest organ of state power in the country. In practice, like former Eastern Bloc legislatures, it does more than rubber-stamp decisions already made by the countrys executive organs. The Assembly is convened once or twice a year in sessions of several days each. At all other times, the Presidium acts for the Assembly, extraordinary sessions of the Assembly can also meet when called by the Presidium or by one third of the Assembly deputies
25.
Kim Yong-nam
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Kim Yong-nam is the President of the Presidium of the Supreme Peoples Assembly of North Korea, a position he has held since 1998. Previously, he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1983 to 1998 and he was elected a member of the Presidium of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Workers Party of Korea in 2010. He was born in the province of Liaoning, China, on 1933 and his elevation to Minister of Foreign Affairs is believed to have occurred as part of a reorganization of the diplomatic bureaucracy after the Rangoon bombing. As chairman of the Presidium, Kim Yong-nam has been called the head of state of North Korea. The deceased founding leader, Kim Il-sung, is designated in the North Korean constitution as the countrys Eternal President and he has held this office since 5 September 1998. The Chairman of the Presidium is sometimes considered the two official. Kim embarked on a tour of Mongolia, Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia. On 18 March 2008, he embarked on a tour of four African states. Arriving in Namibia on 20 March, he was present for the inauguration of a new residence that was built by North Korea. He also held talks with Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba and signed an agreement on public health cooperation with Pohamba and he returned to North Korea on 1 April. Kim also attended the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony on 8 August 2008 as well as the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony on 7 February 2014. On 14 July 2009, Kim Yong-nam met with Vietnamese president Nguyen Minh Triet on the sidelines of the 15th Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Egypt. Kim represented North Korea at the 2015 Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2015 and he also visited Equatorial Guinea on 19 May 2016 to take part in the inaugural ceremony of the nations president and pay an official visit to it. The journalist and academic, Don Oberdorfer, described Kim as enigmatic, rigid in his role, personally pleasant, highly intelligent. Politics of North Korea Supreme Peoples Assembly
26.
Elections in North Korea
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Elections in North Korea are held every five years for the Supreme Peoples Assembly — the countrys national legislature — and every four years for Local Peoples Assemblies. All seats are won by the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland. The Workers Party of Korea dominates the Front and holds 87. 5% of the seats, with 7. 4% for the Korean Social Democratic Party,3. 2% for the Chondoist Chongu Party, and 1. 9% for independent deputies. According to official reports, turnout is near 100%, and approval of the Democratic Fronts candidates is unanimous or nearly so and these nominations were examined by the United Reunification Front and then by the Central Electoral Committee, which allocated candidates to seats. Only one candidate appears on the ballot, Elections are ostensibly conducted by secret ballot, and a voter may cross off the candidates name to vote against him/her, but must do so by crossing out the name in a special booth. Voting is mandatory and turnout is habitually near 100%, members of the Supreme Peoples Assembly are elected to five-year terms, and meet for SPA sessions up to ten days per year. The Supreme Peoples Assembly elects a committee known as the Presidium. It also elects the Chairman of the National Defence Commission, the chief executive. Local elections have been held since 1999, the people elect representatives to city, county, and provincial peoples assemblies in local elections every four years. The number of representatives is determined by the population of each jurisdiction and their role is to work with the unelected and more influential city and province party secretaries. The elections have been described as show elections or a political census. Seats are uncompetitive as all candidates are chosen and won by the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, because of the near-100% turnout, elections double as unofficial censuses. The inminban neighborhood watch reportedly watches the elections to identify and investigate no-shows, many North Korean defectors claim such an act of defiance is too risky to attempt. The latest election was the first conducted under the leadership of Kim Jong-un following the death of Kim Jong-il in December 2011. Summary of the 9 March 2014 North Korea Supreme Peoples Assembly election results The last election conducted under the leadership of Kim Jong-il was held on March 8,2009. The following day, North Korean media announced that he was unanimously re-elected to parliament, the election committee also stated that 99. 98% of all registered voters took part in voting, with 100% voting for their candidate in each district. All seats were won by the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, politics of North Korea Video of elections, including ballots used on YouTube Elections in North Korea on YouTube
27.
North Korean parliamentary election, 2009
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Parliamentary elections in North Korea, creating the 12th Supreme Peoples Assembly, were held on 8 March 2009. They were originally scheduled to be held in August 2008 but were postponed for unknown reasons, observers of North Korea speculated that it was in relation to Kim Jong-ils ill health. All candidates standing in the elections in North Korea were members of one of the comprising the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland. Kim Jong-il, the de facto leader of North Korea and the Chairman of the National Defence Commission, the 11th Supreme Peoples Assembly was dissolved and elections were called for North Koreas 687 electoral districts on January 7,2009. The elections were to be held as per North Koreas constitution in August 2008. The delay was not officially explained, but was believed to be related to the health of Kim Jong-il, the elections also come after a significant cabinet shuffle in recent months that saw the replacement of at least five members of cabinet. The elections were called for March 8,2009 allowing leave for a 60-day campaign period, after dissolution, nominating committees in all 687 districts nominated Kim Jong-il to stand for election. The 333rd district was the first to file their nomination, so he decided to run in that district, in the previous assembly, Kim Jong-il represented the 649th election district. Voter registration was conducted by the Resident Registration Bureaus of the National Security Agency, completing the voters lists also had the side effect to discover missing residents who may have defected and left the country. Allegations have surfaced of bribes paid to officials conducting registration drives to declare family members who have defected as being deceased, the voter registration deadline for the election took place on March 4,2009. The bribes themselves have been overlooked by the National Security Agency as the North Korean government demands the lists be complete to ensure there is 100% turnout in the vote. It is easier to explain missing persons as being dead than to have an incomplete voters list, the voting for deputies of the Supreme Peoples Assembly in 2009 consisted of using paper ballots containing the name of a single candidate nominated in each district. To indicate support for the candidate a ballot is dropped into the box unmarked, if the voter does not support a candidate, that voter must cross out the name of the candidate before dropping the ballot. The voting method is a departure from prior elections, in previous elections, the system consisted of two ballot boxes at each polling station. The boxes, one black and one white, were to support for or against a candidate. There is no system in place to handle absentee ballots for North Koreans living abroad, proxy votes were ordered cast by family members of North Korean defectors who were detained in prisons within China. All voting and the validation of official returns is overseen by the Central Election Committee, voting is supposed to be a secret process, but with the current method of casting ballots it becomes obvious who opposes candidates. The voter has the option of going to a booth to cross out the name or dropping the ballot directly in the box, penalties for voting against a candidate or not voting are severe
28.
North Korean parliamentary election, 2014
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Parliamentary elections in North Korea, creating the 13th Supreme Peoples Assembly, were held on 9 March 2014. This is the first election since the assumption of Kim Jong-un as leader of the following the death of Kim Jong-il. It is claimed without substantiation, that the elections were a way to poll the population on their opinion on the government. In addition, it functions as a way for the government to determine any of its citizens have illegally changed their voting district within the country. The North Korean Government does so by enforcing borders and surveillance, if there are missing people, then the local workers and residents are found responsible, so local workers attempt to ensure order in their region. On 4 February, KCNA reported that a meeting of electorates in Paektusan Constituency 111 nominated WPK first secretary Kim Jong-un as deputy to the Supreme Peoples Assembly, members of the Supreme Peoples Assembly are elected in single-member constituencies, with one approved candidate put forward in each constituency. Large groups of voters are presented with a ballot while moving through a voting booth, voters must stop to cross out the candidate, making the process a monitored event. Voting is compulsory in North Korea, the main parties taking part were the Workers Party of Korea, the Korean Social Democratic Party, the Chondoist Chongu Party as well as independent candidates. All candidates were members of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland. Minister of the Peoples Armed Forces Jang Jong-nam, as well as Jo Chun-ryong were newly elected to the NDC while Choe Pu-il, Kim Won-hong, the positions in the cabinet remain primarily unchanged, and the premier, who manages the cabinet, has remained the same. Additionally, Kim Jong Uns younger sister, Kim Yo Jung, has been the first time she has named in public. She was identified as state comrade, and senior official and she was shown with Kim Jong Un as he was making his way to vote at Kim Il Sung University. The most significant change in the cabinet was the replacement of Pak Ui-chun as Foreign Minister by Ri Su-yong
29.
Administrative divisions of North Korea
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The administrative divisions of North Korea are organized into three hierarchical levels. These divisions were discovered in 2002, many of the units have equivalents in the system of South Korea. At the highest level are nine provinces, two directly governed cities, and three administrative divisions. The second-level divisions are cities, counties, wards, and districts and these are further subdivided into third-level entities, towns, neighborhoods, villages, and workers districts. The three-level administrative system used in North Korea was first inaugurated by Kim Il-sung in 1952, previously, the country had used a multi-level system similar to that still used in South Korea. The nine provinces derive from the provinces of Korea, but have been further subdivided since the division of Korea. They are large areas including cities, rural and mountainous regions, the two special cities are large metropolitan cities that have been separated from their former provinces to become first-level units. Four other cities have been governed in the past, but were subsequently reunited with their provinces or otherwise reorganized. The three special administrative regions were all created in 2002 for the development of collaborative ventures with South Korea, one of them, the Sinuiju Special Administrative Region, was intended to draw Chinese investment and enterprise, but as of 2006 appears never to have been implemented. The special administrative regions do not have any known second- and third-level subdivisions, see List of second-level administrative divisions of North Korea for a complete list. The most common division is the county, a less urbanized area within a province or directly governed city. The more populous districts within provinces are cities, and the city of Nampho is a special city, some provinces also have two types of districts. The city centers of the directly governed cities are organized into wards, rural parts of cities and counties are organized into villages. The downtown areas within cities are divided into neighborhoods, and a part of a county forms a town. Some counties also have workers districts
30.
Provinces of North Korea
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Provinces are the first-level division within North Korea. There are 9 provinces in North Korea, Chagang, North Hamgyong, South Hamgyong, North Hwanghae, South Hwanghae, Kangwon, North Pyongan, South Pyongan and Ryanggang. Although the details of local administration have changed dramatically over time, a similar system also remains in use in South Korea. A province are the administrative divisions in North Korea. Provinces have equal status to the special cities, the populations listed for each province are from the 2008 North Korea Census. From this census, there are an additional 702,372 people living in military camps, administrative divisions of North Korea Special cities of North Korea Provinces of South Korea
31.
Special cities of North Korea
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Special cities are one of the first-level administrative division within North Korea. There are 3 top-level cities in North Korea, Pyongyang, Rason, Special cities are the higher-ranked administrative divisions in North Korea. There are three kinds of cities in North Korea. The first level cities have equal status to the provinces, notes Pyongyang is classified as a capital city, not a special city as Seoul in South Korea. In fact, the North Korean national newspaper and broadcasting say Pyongyang Chikhalsi, some sources, most of them come from South Korea, refer the city as a special city, however these are the old sources. Moreover, South Korea has corrected the city as a directly governed city, also note that the official name of Pyongyang would be Pyongyang-si in the Republic of Korea, which officially claims to represent the entire peninsula. Special-level city is the second level administrative division, kaesong is still a part of North Hwanghae Province. Nampo is officially part of South Pyongan province, administrative divisions of North Korea List of cities in North Korea Special cities of South Korea The sources for this section are Chosun Ilbos pages 행정구역 현황 and 행정구역 개편 일지. North Koreas Cities, Industrial facilities, internal structures and typification
Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (2012). Wikisource. 2012.
