Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea
Encyclopedia
The Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (조선로동당 중앙위) 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. It is elected by the Party Congress itself, although Party conferences can be called to perform this duty as well.
The Central Committee, which is currently made up by more than 300 people among full members and alternate members, should meet at least once every six months. However, no meeting at all was convened between the 21st Plenary Meeting of the Sixth Central Committee in December
1993 and the September 28, 2010 Plenary Meeting.
, the Control Commission and the Secretariat of the Central Committee (with administrative tasks only). The many Party departments (Administration, Organization, Propaganda, etc.) are nominally under the Central Committee's jurisdiction, and it appoints their directors as well as the editor-in-chief of the official Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun
.
Unlike many other ruling communist parties, the Central Committee doesn't elect the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea
, who is elected by the Party Congress directly.
Although it maintained a very important position under Kim Il-sung
, holding frequent meetings and adopting key decisions (Kim Jong-il
himself was first designated as Kim Il-sung's successor at the 8th Plenary Meeting of the Fifth Central Committee in February
1974), it lost almost all actual power since Kim Jong-il's takeover, with supreme authority shifting to the National Defence Commission
as part of Kim Jong-il's Songun
policy. One of the curious 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, de facto nullifying the body.
, Kim Yong-nam
and Choe Yong-rim
, and 15 alternate members. It also has the power to propose or commend important state leaders, like the Premier
, who are then elected by the Supreme People's Assembly
.
The true day-to-day ruling body, however, is the Presidium of the Politburo, made up by 4 members plus Kim Jong-il himself.
Current secretaries are: Kim Ki-nam (propaganda and Party history), Choe Thae-bok
(education, foreign affairs), Choe Ryong-hae (social organizations), Mun Kyong-dok, Pak To-chun (military industry), Kim Yong-il (international affairs), Kim Yang-gon, Kim Phyong-hae and Thae Jong-su.
The Organization and Guidance Department is one of the most important departments since it controls party, army and government apparatus as well as human resources management. 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 manages OGD daily affairs. The current first deputy director is Kim Kyong-ok.
Similar to the OGD, the Administration Department oversees personnel appointments, paperwork traffic between the Central Committee and the National Defence Commission, and security affairs. It was merged into the OGD in 1990 and restored in 2007. Its current director is Chang Song-taek since 2007.
Other important departments include the Publicity and Information Department (or Propaganda and Agitation Department; Director Kim Ki-nam), the General Affairs Department (Director Tae Jong-su), the International Liaison Department (Director Kim Yong-il), the United Front Department (Director Kim Yang-gon) and the Workers' Organizations Department (Director Ri Yong-su); the latter controls North Korean social organizations, including Kim Il-sung Socialist Youth League, Korean Democratic Women's Union, General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea
, Union of Agricultural Workers' of Korea, and so on.
Workers' Party of Korea
The Workers' Party of Korea is the ruling Communist party of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , commonly known as North Korea. It is also called the Korean Workers' Party...
. According to Party rules, the Central Committee directs the Party work between the Party Congresses. It is elected by the Party Congress itself, although Party conferences can be called to perform this duty as well.
The Central Committee, which is currently made up by more than 300 people among full members and alternate members, should meet at least once every six months. However, no meeting at all was convened between the 21st Plenary Meeting of the Sixth Central Committee in December
December
December is the 12th and last month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months with the length of 31 days.December starts on the same day as September every year and ends on the same day as April every year.-Etymology:...
1993 and the September 28, 2010 Plenary Meeting.
Functions
The Central Committee, usually at its first plenum after having been elected by the Party Congress, elects in turn the Political Bureau (or Politburo) and the Presidium (or Standing Committee) of the Political Bureau, which is the paramount decisions-making organ. It also organizes the Central Military CommissionCentral Military Commission (DPRK)
The Central Military Commission is an organ of the Workers' Party of Korea which is responsible of coordinating the Party organizations within the Korean People's Army. The full and official name is Commission for Military Affairs of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea...
, the Control Commission and the Secretariat of the Central Committee (with administrative tasks only). The many Party departments (Administration, Organization, Propaganda, etc.) are nominally under the Central Committee's jurisdiction, and it appoints their directors as well as the editor-in-chief of the official Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun
Rodong Sinmun
Rodong Sinmun is a North Korean newspaper and the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, published by the Rodong News Agency. It is the most widely read newspaper in the country...
.
Unlike many other ruling communist parties, the Central Committee doesn't elect the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea
General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea
Prior to 1966 the leader of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was the Chairman of the Central Committee. Since 1966, the year a party congress reformed the structure of the Party, the Central Committee has elected a leader called the General Secretary.-General Secretary of the...
, who is elected by the Party Congress directly.
Although it maintained a very important position under Kim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung was a Korean communist politician who led the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from its founding in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of Prime Minister from 1948 to 1972 and President from 1972 to his death...
, holding frequent meetings and adopting key decisions (Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, birth name Yuri Irsenovich Kim born 16 February 1941 or 16 February 1942 , is the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...
himself was first designated as Kim Il-sung's successor at the 8th Plenary Meeting of the Fifth Central Committee in February
February
February is the second month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the shortest month and the only month with fewer than 30 days. The month has 28 days in common years and 29 days in leap years...
1974), it lost almost all actual power since Kim Jong-il's takeover, with supreme authority shifting to the National Defence Commission
National Defence Commission of North Korea
The National Defense Commission of North Korea is defined by the 1998 constitution as “the highest guiding organ of the military and the managing organ of military matters.” The Chairman of the National Defense Commission controls the armed forces and, in this state where the military...
as part of Kim Jong-il's Songun
Songun
Sŏn'gun, often spelled Songun, is North Korea's "Military First" policy, which prioritizes the Korean People's Army in the affairs of state and allocates national resources to the army first...
policy. One of the curious 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, de facto nullifying the body.
Politburo
The Politburo rules the Party while the Central Committee is not in meeting. It currently has 16 full members, including supreme leader Kim Jong Il and other key leaders Ri Yong-hoRi Yong-ho
Vice Marshal Ri Yong-ho is a North Korean military officer, and member of the central presidium of the Workers' Party of Korea since September 2010....
, Kim Yong-nam
Kim Yong-nam
Kim Yong-nam is the current North Korean Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, a position held since 1998. 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 Central District, Heijo ,...
and Choe Yong-rim
Choe Yong-rim
Choe Yong-rim is the Premier of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea since May 2011 and Workers' Party of Korea central committee presidium member since September 2010., KCNA, 29 September 2010.Choe is described by the New York Times as a "KWP insider" and a...
, and 15 alternate members. It also has the power to propose or commend important state leaders, like the Premier
Premier of North Korea
The Premier of North Korea is the head of government of North Korea.-Functions and history:...
, who are then elected by the Supreme People's Assembly
Supreme People's Assembly
The Supreme People's Assembly is the unicameral parliament of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , commonly known as North Korea...
.
The true day-to-day ruling body, however, is the Presidium of the Politburo, made up by 4 members plus Kim Jong-il himself.
Presidium
- Kim Jong-ilKim Jong-ilKim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, birth name Yuri Irsenovich Kim born 16 February 1941 or 16 February 1942 , is the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...
(General Secretary of the Workers' Party of KoreaGeneral Secretary of the Workers' Party of KoreaPrior to 1966 the leader of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was the Chairman of the Central Committee. Since 1966, the year a party congress reformed the structure of the Party, the Central Committee has elected a leader called the General Secretary.-General Secretary of the...
, Chairman of the National Defence CommissionChairman of the National Defence Commission of North KoreaThe Chairman of the National Defense Commission of North Korea is the supreme commander of the armed forces of North Korea and the most powerful person in the government...
) - Kim Yong-namKim Yong-namKim Yong-nam is the current North Korean Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, a position held since 1998. 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 Central District, Heijo ,...
(President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's AssemblySupreme People's AssemblyThe Supreme People's Assembly is the unicameral parliament of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , commonly known as North Korea...
) - Choe Yong-rimChoe Yong-rimChoe Yong-rim is the Premier of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea since May 2011 and Workers' Party of Korea central committee presidium member since September 2010., KCNA, 29 September 2010.Choe is described by the New York Times as a "KWP insider" and a...
(Premier of North KoreaPremier of North KoreaThe Premier of North Korea is the head of government of North Korea.-Functions and history:...
) - Ri Yong-hoRi Yong-hoVice Marshal Ri Yong-ho is a North Korean military officer, and member of the central presidium of the Workers' Party of Korea since September 2010....
(Vice Chairman of the Central Military CommissionCentral Military Commission (DPRK)The Central Military Commission is an organ of the Workers' Party of Korea which is responsible of coordinating the Party organizations within the Korean People's Army. The full and official name is Commission for Military Affairs of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea...
, Chief of the KPA General StaffKorean People's ArmyThe Korean People's Army , also known as the Inmin Gun, are the military forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim Jong-il is the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and Chairman of the National Defence Commission...
)
Secretariat
The Secretariat of the Central Committee is tasked with executive and administrative duties, particularly coordinating activities of the central departments. The Secretariat is made up by the Party General Secretary plus other secretaries of the Central Committee. Each secretary has responsibility over fields like foreign affairs, education and so on, sometimes overlapping concerned departments, although a secretary can be concurrently department director (for instance, Kim Kuk-thae was both secretary for cadres and director of the Personnel Department).Current secretaries are: Kim Ki-nam (propaganda and Party history), Choe Thae-bok
Choe Thae-bok
Choe Thae-bok is a North Korean politician. He is a member of the Politburo and the Secretariat of the Workers' Party of Korea, and has been Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly since September 1998...
(education, foreign affairs), Choe Ryong-hae (social organizations), Mun Kyong-dok, Pak To-chun (military industry), Kim Yong-il (international affairs), Kim Yang-gon, Kim Phyong-hae and Thae Jong-su.
Central Departments
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 (directors of most important departments can also be Politburo or Secretariat members). There follows a list of central departments and their heads.The Organization and Guidance Department is one of the most important departments since it controls party, army and government apparatus as well as human resources management. Kim Jong-il succeeded his uncle Kim Yong-ju
Kim Yong-ju
Kim Yong-ju is a North Korean politician and the younger brother of the country's former supreme leader Kim Il-sung. He currently holds a ceremonial position as Honorary Vice President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, North Korea's parliament.-Biography:Kim Yong-ju was born to...
as department director in 1974, and never officially relinquished that post; therefore, its first deputy director manages OGD daily affairs. The current first deputy director is Kim Kyong-ok.
Similar to the OGD, the Administration Department oversees personnel appointments, paperwork traffic between the Central Committee and the National Defence Commission, and security affairs. It was merged into the OGD in 1990 and restored in 2007. Its current director is Chang Song-taek since 2007.
Other important departments include the Publicity and Information Department (or Propaganda and Agitation Department; Director Kim Ki-nam), the General Affairs Department (Director Tae Jong-su), the International Liaison Department (Director Kim Yong-il), the United Front Department (Director Kim Yang-gon) and the Workers' Organizations Department (Director Ri Yong-su); the latter controls North Korean social organizations, including Kim Il-sung Socialist Youth League, Korean Democratic Women's Union, General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea
General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea
General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea is the sole legal trade union federation in North Korea. GFTUK was formed on November 30, 1945 as the General Federation of Trade Unions of North Korea...
, Union of Agricultural Workers' of Korea, and so on.
See also
- Central Committee of the CPSU
- Central Committee of the Communist Party of ChinaCentral Committee of the Communist Party of ChinaThe Central Committee of the Communist Party of China is the highest authority within the Communist Party of China. Its approximately 350 members and alternates are selected once every five years by the National Party Congress....