29-563: The General Secretary and Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea is a member of the Secretariat of the Workers' Party of Korea , which is headed by a General Secretary (the name of this office has changed throughout North Korean history). Books: Journal articles: Secretariat of the Workers%27 Party of Korea The Secretariat of the Workers' Party of Korea , formerly known as
58-609: A congress was formerly mandated to be convened every five years, the 3rd Conference revised the party rules to state that the Central Committee could convene a congress as desired with six months' notice to the party. This, too, was done in preparation for Kim Jong Un's succession, allowing the Kim dynasty to pick the date freely. Two new articles were added: "The Party and the People's Power" and "The Party Logo and Flag of Party". Ideology
87-514: A means of strengthening Kim Il Sung's control over the party's lower-level organizations; for this reason, a large majority of the first Secretariat members were full or candidate members of the WPK Politburo. After the power struggle ended in 1967–1968, the Secretariat's status waned; this "has been reflected by the lower status of cadres appointed to the Secretariat in recent years", especially at
116-454: A period in which any pretense of following the rules was dropped. No Central Committee plenums were convened between 1993 and 2010, even though the rules mandated one to be held at least every six months. As consequence, the composition of the CC at that time remained only an estimate. It was not known which members of the 6th CC were active or even alive. In a clear breach of the rules, Kim Jong Il
145-531: Is "to attain a perfect victory of socialism in the northern part and to complete the revolutionary tasks of achieving national liberation and the people's democracy through the country." This task is to be achieved by "perform[ing] the revolution and construction tasks under the sole leader's exclusive guidance, applying his revolutionary ideology as [the] guideline". The rules stipulates that the party guides all state and social organs in North Korea. The rules sets
174-572: The Control Commission , and members of the Central Military Commission (CMC). The rules can be amended by a Congress or a Conference of the party. The Control Commission theoretically probes suspected violations of the rules by party members. However, the rules is, in fact, an essentially meaningless document for much of its existence, since there is no oversight of central-level compliance. Despite this, NK News has called
203-685: The Executive Policy Bureau (2016–21), manages the work of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea and its Presidium . The General Secretary leads the work of the Secretariat, and the body is composed of several members (known as "secretaries"). The Secretariat, the forerunner of the Executive Policy Bureau, was established at the 2nd Conference of Representatives in October 1966, and
232-459: The Korean Peninsula . Recent revisions of the rules have defined Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism as the ideology of the party. The first rules were adopted on 30 August 1946 at the 1st Congress of the Workers' Party of North Korea , the immediate predecessor of the modern WPK. Since then, every Conference and some Congresses have revised the rules, most recently the 7th Congress in 2016. Since
261-638: The WPK Pyongyang City Committee ), Pak To-chun as Secretary of Defense Industry, Kim Yong-il as Secretary for International Affairs (assuming Choe Tak-pok's portfolio), Kim Yang-kon as Secretary for South Korean Affairs and Head of the United Front Department , Kim Pyong-hae as Secretary for Personnel and Thae Chong-su as Secretary of General Affairs (through his office as Head of the General Affairs Department ). At
290-558: The by-laws of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). It sets the rules of the organization and membership of the party. According to the rules, the WPK Congress is the highest body of the party and it, along with the WPK Conference , can amend the rules. The rules defines the character, task, and methodology of the party. According to it, the Party strives to impose communism on the whole of
319-470: The death of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il 's accession to the leadership of the country, the rules has not been adhered to by the party. After the 6th Congress in 1980, Congresses were no longer held every five years as stipulated by the rules. Neither were plenums of the Central Committee held at regular six month intervals. Kim Jong Il was also elected General Secretary of the party without observing
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#1732858425662348-694: The 3rd Conference of Representatives in 2010. Of the seven remaining members, three were retired at the 3rd Conference. The four incumbents were Kim Jong Il, Kim Ki-nam (Head of the Propaganda and Agitation Department ), Choe Tae-pok (Head of the International Department ) and Hong Sok-syong (Head of the Finance and Planning Department). Seven new members were appointed: Choe Ryong-hae as Secretary for Military Affairs, Mun Kyong-dok as Secretary for Pyongyang Affairs (through his office as Secretary of
377-587: The 4th Conference, there were no retirements; Kim Kyong-hui (sister of Kim Jong Il) and Kwak Pom-gi were appointed as members and Kim Jong Un, through his office as First Secretary, replaced the late Kim Jong Il. Along with the Politburo and Central Control Committee, the Bureau is one of the three power organizations subordinate to the Party Central Committee . Also, the Bureau is involved in coordination of
406-457: The 6th Congress. At that congress, only three members (out of nine) served concurrently as full Politburo members: Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il and Kim Jung-rin (not a Kim family member). The Secretariat's prestige continued to decline during Kim Jong Il's rule, with five of its twelve members dying during the interregnum between the December 1993 21st Plenary Session of the 6th Central Committee and
435-567: The Workers' Party of Korea in January 2021. The rules, commonly known as the "Rules and Constitution", contains the party's by-laws . The rules outlines the character, task and methodology of the Worker's Party. It sets communism across the whole Korean Peninsula as the goal of the party. According to the rules, the party "represents the interests of the Korean nation and people", and its immediate task
464-427: The central and municipal levels. The Secretariat was named the Executive Policy Bureau. The First Secretary of the party became Chairman of the Workers' Party . The 8th party Congress held in 2021 again amended the party rules. It changed the leader of the party from Chairman to General Secretary , established a post called First Secretary, mostly removed mentions of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un, removed
493-406: The correct procedure. In preparation of Kim Jong Un 's succession, the 3rd Conference in 2010 revised the rules to ensure that he would secure leadership in both the party and the army at the same time. Changes were also made to allow the Kim dynasty to pick a dates for Congresses freely. Such a Congress, 8th party Congress , amended the rules by giving Kim Jong Un the title General Secretary of
522-420: The entire society". The rules was revised at the 3rd Conference (its first revision since the 6th Congress in 1980) to require the party's First Secretary to also hold the office of Chairman of the party's Central Military Commission . This was to ensure Kim Jong Un's succession of his father, Kim Jong Il, by guaranteeing that he inherits the top posts in not just the party but the army as well. Although
551-459: The party rules "one of the most important texts in North Korea's political system". Although the rules is the party's highest document de jure , Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il breached party protocol during their rule by not convening party Congresses or Central Committee plenums. The Central Committee is not a permanent body; it must convene, according to the party's rules, at least once every six months. The Central Committee is, according to
580-491: The party structure. It has authority in the Worker' Party of Korea, but does not have policy-making influence. The Politburo and its Presidium can elect or appoint officials in the Bureau. According to the charter of the WPK , "The Executive Policy Bureau periodically discusses and decides on the problems of cadres, internal problems of the party, and other tasks of the party, and supervises the execution of party decisions". The body
609-676: The party's rules, elected by delegates to a party congress; in practice, however, this has not been the case. According to Article 27 of the rules, the Central Military Commission (CMC) is the highest party body in military affairs; it commands the Korean People's Army , developing and guiding its weaponry. In practice, however, the CMC is a ceremonial body subordinate to the National Defence Commission . A 1982 amendment to
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#1732858425662638-429: The rules is believed to have made the CMC equal to the Central Committee, enabling it (among other things) to elect the party leader. Although the party rules specifies that the Politburo should meet at least once a month, there is little evidence that this has actually happened. In 2010 the rule that Congresses be held every five years was dropped, recognising this had been ignored for thirty years. The first rules
667-570: The rules on the organization of the party and its membership. It stipulates that the Congress is the highest body of the party. The rules says that when the Congress is not in session, the party is run by the Central Committee . According to the rules, the Central Committee elects the General Secretary of the party , members of the Politburo , its Presidium , the Executive Policy Bureau , members of
696-486: The strong and prosperous state and chuche [ Juche ] development." The Conference met on 28 September, revising the party rules and electing (and dismissing) members of the Central Committee, the Secretariat, the Politburo, the Presidium and other bodies. The WPK's ultimate goal was changed from "build[ing] a communist society" (although Marxism–Leninism was still mentioned) to "embody[ing] the revolutionary cause of Juche in
725-537: Was adopted on 30 August 1946 in the 1st Congress of the Workers' Party of North Korea , the immediate predecessor of the present WPK. The 2nd Congress revised it on 30 March 1948, and the 3rd Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea made extensive revisions to it in April 1956. The 4th Congress amended it on 18 September 1961, and the 5th Congress on 13 November 1970. The 6th Congress revised it on 10 October 1980. The 1990s (especially after Kim Il Sung's death ) began
754-427: Was appointed WPK General Secretary in a joint announcement by the 6th Central Committee and the CMC rather than elected by a plenum of the Central Committee. On 26 June 2010 the Politburo announced that it was summoning delegates for the 3rd party Conference , with its official explanation the need to "reflect the demands of the revolutionary development of the Party, which is facing critical changes in bringing about
783-479: Was elaborated at the 4th party Conference in 2012, when Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism became "the only guiding idea of the party" in the rules. At the 7th party Congress on 9 May 2016, the rules was amended "as required by the developing reality." The dual-track policy of pursuing both economic growth and nuclear weapons capacity was added to the Charter. Secretary titles were made Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen in both
812-484: Was known as the Secretariat from its establishment in October 1966 to its reorganization into the Executive Policy Bureau at the 7th Congress in May 2016. As of 10 January 2021, the Secretariat consists of the General Secretary and seven secretaries. Charter of the Workers%27 Party of Korea The Rules of the Workers' Party of Korea ( Korean : 조선로동당규약 ; MR : Chosŏn rodongdang kyuyak ) are
841-624: Was similar to its counterpart in the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) during the Stalin era. The head of the Secretariat at the time was the General Secretary. Until 1966, the WPK had no body similar to the Secretariat; this was unusual, since a Secretariat was one of the most powerful bodies in other ruling communist parties. The Secretariat was established during a power struggle as
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