Supreme Leader (North Korean title) explained

Post:Supreme Leader
Body:the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Incumbent:Kim Jong Un
First:Kim Il Sung
Termlength:Life tenure
Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Hangul:조선민주주의인민공화국최고령도자

The title of supreme leader of North Korea generally means the de facto top leader of the Workers' Party of Korea, the state and the Korean People's Army. Most of North Korea's leaders, who are called Supreme Leader, were not called this until after their death, going by other names like "Great Leader" and "Dear Leader" during their lifetimes. The leaders of North Korea also go by many other names and titles, see the lists of titles of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un.

Overview

"Supreme Leader" was originally a designation used for Kim Il Sung only, and only after his death.[1] During his lifetime he was known as "Great Leader" (Korean: 위대한 수령), a title to this day that only refers to him. His son, Kim Jong Il, was known as "Dear Leader" (Korean: 친애하는 령도자) during his lifetime, and only after death did North Korean media begin calling him "Supreme Leader", in the tradition of his father. The grandson, Kim Jong Un, was first called "Supreme Leader" in a North Korean newspaper article dated October 3, 2020, with the frequency increasing since then, including sometimes "great Supreme Leader". He was the first to be frequently called "Supreme Leader" while still alive, and at the relatively young age of 37. The 2020 newspaper article was part of the official preparations to appoint Kim Jong Un as the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea ie. leader of the Workers' Party, the sole political body in the country and the paramount leader position.[2] Since November 2021, South Korean media have all reported that Kim Jong Un is called "Supreme Leader" (Suryeong) in North Korea.

List

PortraitName
Title(s)PeriodTenure
(Time in Office)		Ideological contribution(s)
1Kim Il Sung
김일성

Premier of the Cabinet of the DPRK9 September 1948 – 28 December 1972[3] 9 September 1948[4]
—
8 July 1994[5]
Juche
Chairman of the WPK24 June 1949[6] – 12 October 1966
General Secretary of the WPK12 October 1966[7] – 8 July 1994
President of the DPRK28 December 1972[8] – 8 July 1994
2Kim Jong Il
김정일

Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK9 April 1993 – 17 December 20118 July 1994[9]
—
17 December 2011
Kimilsungism
Songun
Ten Principles
General Secretary of the WPK8 October 1997 – 17 December 2011[10]
3Kim Jong Un
김정은

First Secretary of the WPK11 April 2012[11] – 9 May 2016[12] 17 December 2011[13]
—
present
Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism
Byungjin
First Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK11 April 2012[14] – 29 June 2016
Chairman of the WPK9 May 2016[15] – 10 January 2021[16]
President of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK29 June 2016[17] – present
General Secretary of the WPK10 January 2021[18] – present

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kim Jong Un and the ‘Supreme Leader System’ . . Isozaki . Atsuhito . December 6, 2021 .
  2. News: 2 May 2020. Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Cuts Tape for Completion of Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory. Kim Il Sung University. Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). 2 May 2020. Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, attended the ceremony.. 17 May 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200517074501/http://www.ryongnamsan.edu.kp/univ/en/revolution_activity/47d1e990583c9c67424d369f3414728e. dead.
  3. Based on the creation of the Constitution of North Korea, which established the Presidency of North Korea and abolished the Premier of North Korea position.
  4. Web site: Background Note: North Korea . Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs . . August 2008 . 2023-09-18.
  5. Based on date of death of Kim Il-Sung
  6. Web site: Korean: Basic Course: Area Background . . . July 1971 . 2023-09-18. 254. the Korean Workers Party, under the chairmanship of Kim Il-sung, was formed on June 24, 1949, as the result of a merger between the North Korean Workers Party and the South Korean Workers Party.
  7. Book: Yang, Sŏng-chʻŏl . The North and South Korean Political Aystems: A Comparative Analysis . Hollym . Elizabeth, NJ . 1999 . 270 . 978-1-56591-105-5 . The chairmanship post was replaced by the office of the general secretary at the Fourteenth Plenum of the WPK Fourth Central Committee (CC) on October 12, 1966, and Kim has been the WPK’s general secretary ever since.
  8. Based on the outcome of the 1972 North Korean parliamentary election
  9. Web site: Timeline: Kim Jong-il . . . 19 December 2011 . 2023-09-18.
  10. Based on date of death of Kim Jong-Il
  11. Web site: As Rocket Launching Nears, North Korea Continues Shift to New 'Supreme Leader' . . Choe . Sang-Hun . 11 April 2012 . 2023-09-18. The governing Workers’ Party ... declared Mr. Kim “supreme leader” on Wednesday and awarded him the title of first secretary..
  12. News: 9 May 2016 . North Korea leader Kim becomes chairman of ruling Workers' Party: NHK . en . . live . 6 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170829053930/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-congress-kim-idUSKCN0Y015Y . 29 August 2017 . Kim Jong Un, who has been first secretary of the ruling party, became chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea.
  13. Web site: Kim Jong Il, leader of North Korea, dies. History (American TV network). 15 December 2020 . 27 November 2023.
  14. Web site: As Rocket Launching Nears, North Korea Continues Shift to New 'Supreme Leader' . . Choe . Sang-Hun . 11 April 2012 . 2023-09-18. Per note at end of NYT article: 'An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the day on which North Korea had elevated Kim Jong-un to chairman of the Workers' Party's central military commission and granted him membership in the Politburo and its presidium. It was on Wednesday (11 April), not Thursday (12 April).'.
  15. Web site: Deciphering the 7th Party Congress: A Teaser for Greater Change? . 12 February 2021 . . 20 May 2016 . Madden, Michael. 12 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210212100223/https://www.38north.org/2016/05/mmadden052016/ . The major organizational change announced at the 7th Party Congress was the reinstatement of the WPK chairmanship, to which Kim Jong Un was elected.
  16. Web site: Key Results of The Eighth Party Congress in North Korea (Part 2 of 2) . 12 February 2021 . . 19 January 2021 . . 12 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210212101109/https://www.38north.org/2021/01/key-results-of-the-eighth-party-congress-in-north-korea-part-2-of-2/ . Titles throughout all party levels were changed from “chairman” to three levels of “secretary”..
  17. Web site: Kim Jong-un Takes an Additional Title in North Korea . . Choe . Sang-Hun . 29 June 2016 . 2023-09-18 . The Assembly revised North Korea's Constitution to create what the state media called a Commission on State Affairs, with Mr. Kim as its chairman. It replaces the National Defense Commission..
  18. Web site: Key Results of The Eighth Party Congress in North Korea (Part 2 of 2) . 12 February 2021 . . 19 January 2021 . . 12 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210212101109/https://www.38north.org/2021/01/key-results-of-the-eighth-party-congress-in-north-korea-part-2-of-2/ . Kim Jong Un was elected as general secretary of the party. This is remarkable, considering that on April 11, 2012, Kim Jong Il had been named the “eternal general secretary”..

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