General Secretary and Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea

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).

General Secretaries and forerunners

edit
Title Officeholder Hangul Birth Death Took office Left office Duration
First Secretary of the North Korean Branch Bureau Kim Yong-bom 김용범 1902 1947 13 October 1945 18 December 1946 1 year and 66 days
First Secretary of the North Korean Branch Bureau Kim Il Sung 김일성 1912 1994 18 December 1946 28 August 1946 2 years and 194 days
First Secretary of the Central Committee Ho Ka-i 허가이 1900 1953 24 June 1949 2 July 1953 4 years and 8 days
Second Secretary of the Central Committee Yi Sung-yop 이성엽 1905 1954 24 June 1949 6 August 1953 4 years and 43 days
Third Secretary of the Central Committee Kim Sam-yong 김삼룡 1908 1950 24 June 1949 27 March 1950 276 days
General Secretary of the Central Committee Kim Il Sung 김일성 1912 1994 12 October 1966 8 July 1994 27 years and 269 days
General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong Il 김정일 1941 2011 8 October 1997 17 December 2011 14 years and 70 days
First Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong Un 김정은 1983 Alive 11 April 2012 9 May 2016 4 years and 28 days
General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong Un 김정은 1983 Alive 10 January 2021 Incumbent 3 years and 330 days
References:
[1][2][3][4]

Secretaries

edit
Rank
[note 1]
Name Hangul Birth Death Took office Left office Duration
9 An Seug-tak 안수탁 ? ? 17 June 1983 ? ?
10 Chae Hi-chong 채희총 ? ? 17 June 1983 ? ?
3 Choe Ryong-hae 최룡해 1950 Alive 28 September 2010 9 May 2016 5 years and 224 days
7 Choe Sang-gon 최상건 1953 Alive 10 January 2021 Incumbent 3 years and 330 days
2 Choe Thae-bok 김기남 1930 Alive 27 December 1986 9 May 2016 29 years and 134 days
1 Choe Yong-gon 최용건 1900 1976 12 October 1966 19 September 1976 9 years and 343 days
Chon Pyong-ho 전병호 1926 2014 27 December 1986 28 September 2010 23 years and 275 days
7 Han Ik-su 한익수 1912 1978 13 November 1970 5 September 1978 7 years and 296 days
Han Son-yong 한성룡 1923 2009 12 December 1988 2009 38 years and 49 days
7 Ho Bong-hak 허봉학 ? ? 12 October 1966 16 November 1968 2 years and 35 days
Ho Dam 허담 1929 1991 1 December 1983 11 May 1991 7 years and 161 days
7 Ho Jong-suk 허정숙 1908 1991 17 June 1983 5 June 1991 ?
7 Hong Si-hak 홍시학 ? ? 14 October 1980 1 December 1983 3 years and 48 days
10 Hong Sok-hyong 홍석형 1936 Alive 28 September 2010 June 2011 246 days
6 Hwang Jang-yop 황장엽 1923 2010 12 December 1979 24 February 1997 17 years and 74 days
8 Hyon Mu-gwang 현무광 1913 1992 13 November 1970 14 October 1980 9 years and 336 days
5 Hyon Mu-kwang 현무광 ? ? 17 June 1983 ? ?
1 Jo Yong-won 조용원 ? Alive 10 January 2021 Incumbent 3 years and 330 days
4 Jong Sang-hak 정상학 ? Alive 10 January 2021 Incumbent 3 years and 330 days
Kang Song-san 강성산 1931 1997 27 December 1986 ?
2 Kim Chung-nin 김중린 1923 2010 13 November 1970 10 December 1984 14 years and 27 days
9 January 1990 28 April 2010 20 years and 109 days
4 Kim Hwan 김영남 ? ? 14 October 1980 17 June 1983 2 years and 246 days
2 Kim Il 김일 1910 1984 12 October 1966 14 October 1980 14 years and 2 days
1 Kim Jong Il 김정일 1942 2011 17 September 1973 8 October 1997 26 years and 329 days
6 Kim Jung-rin 김중린 1923 2010 30 June 1969 14 October 1980 11 years and 106 days
1 Kim Ki-nam 김기남 1929 2024 October 2007 9 May 2016 8 years and 221 days
Kim Kyong-hui 김경희 1946 Alive 11 April 2012 9 May 2016 4 years and 28 days
5 Kim Kwang-hyop 김광협 1915 1970 12 October 1966 July 1970 3 years and 262 days
8 Kim Phyong-hae 김평해 1941 Alive 28 September 2010 9 May 2016 5 years and 224 days
10 Kim To-man 김토만 ? 1967 12 October 1966 8 April 1967 2 years and 35 days
5 Kim Tong-gyu 김동규 1915 ? 13 November 1970 28 November 1978 8 years and 15 days
6 Kim Tu-il 김두일 ? Alive 10 January 2021 Incumbent 3 years and 330 days
7 Kim Yang-gon 김양건 1942 2015 28 September 2010 29 December 2015 5 years and 92 days
6 Kim Yong-il 김영일 1944 Alive 28 September 2010 9 May 2016 5 years and 224 days
8 Kim Yong-ju 김영주 1920 Alive 12 October 1966 11–13 February 1974 7 years and 124 days
2 Kim Yong-nam 김영남 1928 Alive 14 October 1980 17 June 1983 2 years and 246 days
Kim Yong-sun 김용순 1934 2003 23 May 1990 26 October 2003 13 years and 156 days
Kwak Pom-gi 곽범기 1939 Alive 11 April 2012 9 May 2016 4 years and 28 days
Kye Ung-tae 김영남 1920 2006 8 February 1986 23 November 2006 20 years and 288 days
4 Mun Kyong-dok 문경덕 1957 Alive 28 September 2010 9 May 2016 5 years and 224 days
4 O Jin-u 오진우 1917 1995 13 November 1970 14 October 1980 9 years and 336 days
O Su-yong 오수용 1944 Alive 11 February 2021 Incumbent 3 years and 298 days
3 Pak Kum-chol 박금철 1911 1967 12 October 1966 8 April 1967 178 days
Pak Nam-gi 박남기 1934 2010 12 December 1988 9 January 2010 21 years and 28 days
9 Pak Su-dong 박수동 ? ? 14 October 1980 31 August 1982 1 year and 321 days
2 Pak Thae-song 박태성 1955 Alive 10 January 2021 Incumbent 3 years and 330 days
5 Pak To-chun 박도춘 1944 Alive 28 September 2010 9 May 2016 5 years and 224 days
9 Pak Yong-guk 박용국 ? ? 12 October 1966 16 November 1968 2 years and 35 days
5 Ri Il-hwan 리일환 1960 Alive 10 January 2021 Incumbent 3 years and 330 days
3 Ri Pyong-chol 리병철 1948 Alive 10 January 2021 Incumbent 3 years and 330 days
6 Sok San 속산 ? ? 12 October 1966 13 November 1970 4 years and 32 days
So Kwan-hui 서관희 1926 1997 6 October 1981 21 September 1997 15 years and 350 days
8 Son Kwan-hi 손관희 ? ? 17 June 1983 ? ?
9 Thae Jong-su 태종수 1936 Alive 28 September 2010 9 May 2016 5 years and 224 days
9 Yang Hyon-sop 양형섭 1925 Alive 30 June 1969 14 October 1980 11 years and 106 days
4 Yi Hyo-sun 이효선 ? 1967 12 October 1966 8 April 1967 178 days
Yi Kuk-chin 이국진 ? ? 30 June 1969 13 November 1970 1 year and 136 days
6 Yun Ki-bok 윤기복 ? ? 14 October 1980 17 June 1983 2 years and 246 days
9 January 1990 ? ?
References:
[2][3][4]

Noter

edit
  1. ^ Highest rank the individualattained during tenure.
    The rank does not include the head secretary. For instance, in the 6th Secretariat Kim Jong-il is ranked 1 in this list. Some other lists might rank him as 2 since Kim Il-sung served as General Secretary of the Central Committee.

References

edit

Footnotes

edit
  1. ^ Suh 1981, p. 321.
  2. ^ a b Suh 1981, p. 328.
  3. ^ a b Suh 1981, p. 329.
  4. ^ a b Suh 1981, p. 332.

Bibliography

edit

Books:

  • Gause, Ken (2013). "The Role and Influence of the Party Apparatus". In Park, Kyung-ae; Snyder, Scott (eds.). North Korea in Transition: Politics, Economy, and Society. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 19–46. ISBN 978-1442218123.
  • Suh, Dae-sook (1981). Korean Communism 1945–1980: A Reference Guide to the Political System (1st ed.). University Press of Hawaii. ISBN 0-8248-0740-5.
  • Yonguso, Pyonghwa Tongil (1997). Korea and the World. University of California. Research Center for Peace and Unification.

Journal articles: