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List of heads of state of North Korea

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The following is a list of heads of state of North Korea since its foundation in 1948.

History

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For most of its existence, North Korea has not specified a formal head of state. The 1948 constitution did not define a head of state, but with regard to political functions usually performed by the head of state, the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) could be considered one. Kim Il Sung was, at the time, as Premier, merely the head of government but not of state. As his position grew more stable, he wanted to be recognized as the head of state instead. Foreign admirers first started calling him such, and in the 1972 constitution his position was formalized as the President of the republic.[1]

After Kim Il Sung died in 1994, the presidency and hence the position of head of state was left vacant. While the late leader was titled the Eternal President of North Korea, the actual office of the President was written out of the constitution in 1998 making the head of state undefined again. His son and successor, Kim Jong Il, kept official titles given to him by the late president and never formally became the head of state. During this period, the president of the presidium of the SPA exercised many of the functions normally granted to a head of state, such as receiving ambassadors. Titles used by Kim Jong Un have constitutionally defined him as the Supreme Leader, but not formal head of state.[1][2] However, amendments to the DPRK constitution in 2019 have granted the chairman of the State Affairs Commission (later renamed to president of the State Affairs), a title held by Kim, the status of representing the state and receiving and appointing ambassadors, effectively making him the head of state.[3]

Heads of state of North Korea (1948–present)

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Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Political party Election Supreme leader
Took office Left office Time in office
Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly
Kim Tu-bong
김두봉
(1889–1958)
9 September 1948 20 September 1957 9 years, 11 days Workers' Party of North Korea 1st SPA Kim Il Sung
Workers' Party of Korea
Choe Yong-gon
최용건
(1900–1976)
20 September 1957 28 December 1972 15 years, 99 days Korean Social Democratic Party 2nd SPA
3rd SPA
4th SPA
Workers' Party of Korea
President of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Kim Il Sung
김일성
(1912–1994)
28 December 1972 8 July 1994 21 years, 192 days Workers' Party of Korea 5th SPA
6th SPA
7th SPA
8th SPA
9th SPA
Himself
Vacant
(8 July 1994–5 September 1998)
Yang Hyong-sop as Chairman of the SPA Standing Committee
Kim Jong Il as supreme leader
President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly
Kim Yong-nam
김영남
(born 1928)
5 September 1998 11 April 2019 20 years, 218 days Workers' Party of Korea 10th SPA
11th SPA
12th SPA
13th SPA
Kim Jong Il
Kim Jong Un
President of the State Affairs Commission
Kim Jong Un
김정은
(born 1984)
11 April 2019 Incumbent 5 years, 196 days Workers' Party of Korea 14th SPA Himself

Timeline

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Kim Jong UnKim Yong-namKim Il SungChoe Yong-gon (official)Kim Tu-bong

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Tertitskiy, Fyodor (5 September 2019). "Making sense of Kim Jong Un's new position: who is North Korea's head of state?". NK News. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  2. ^ Atsuhito, Isozaki (26 August 2019). "North Korea Revamps Its Constitution". The Diplomat. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  3. ^ Smith, Josh (29 August 2019). "North Korea changes constitution to solidify Kim Jong Un's rule". Reuters. Retrieved 25 June 2023.