Eternal leaders of North Korea

Eternal Leaders of Juche Korea
주체조선의 영원한 수령
Incumbent
Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il
since 30 June 2016
Residence Kumsusan Palace of the Sun (Resting place)
Seat Pyongyang, North Korea
Constituting instrument Constitution of North Korea
Formation 28 December 1972 (1972-12-28) (President of North Korea)
5 September 1998 (1998-09-05) (Eternal President of the Republic)
11 April 2012 (2012-04-11) (Eternal General Secretary of the Workers' Party)
13 April 2012 (2012-04-13) (Eternal Chairman of the National Defence Commission)
North Korea
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
North Korea
Constitution
Eternal leaders of North Korea
Chosŏn'gŭl 주체조선의 영원한 수령
Hancha 主體朝鮮의 永遠한 首領
Revised Romanization
Juchejoseonui Yeongwonhan Suryeong
McCune–Reischauer
Chuch'ech'osŏnŭi Yŏngwŏnhan Suryŏng

Eternal leaders of North Korea (주체조선의 영원한 수령) refers to the practice of granting posthumous titles to deceased leaders of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The phrase "Eternal Leaders of Juche Korea" was established by a line in the preamble to the Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, as amended on 30 June 2016, and in subsequent revisions.

It reads (in the original version):

Under the leadership of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Korean people will uphold the great Comrades Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il as the eternal leaders of Juche Korea...[1]

History of the title

Presidency of North Korea before 1994

The President of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was established in the Constitution of North Korea in 1972. Until then, Kim Il-sung, the de facto ruler of North Korea, held the posts of Premier and General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea.

In 1972 the Presidency was established, and Kim Il-sung was elected to the position by the Supreme People's Assembly, the North Korean legislature, on 28 December 1972. Kim held the Office of President until 1994 when he died, and the position was left vacant when he died.

"Eternal President"

The revised constitution in 1998 abolished the presidency and declared Kim Il-sung "eternal President."

The preamble of the Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as amended on 5 September 1998 reads:

Under the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Korean people will hold the great leader Comrade Kim Il-sung in high esteem as the eternal President of the Republic...[2]

The Eternal President of the Republic was the de jure head of state and head of government of North Korea, with those positions being de facto held by the Supreme Leader. According to Ashley J. Tellis and Michael Wills, this amendment to the preamble was an indication of the unique North Korean characteristic of being a theocratic state based on the North Korean cult of personality revering Kim Il-sung. In addition, North Korea adopted a Juche calendar dating from 1912, the year of Kim Il-sung's birth.[3]

The 2012 Constitution once again referred to Kim Il-sung as the "eternal President of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea".[4]

"Eternal General Secretary/Eternal Chairman"

After the death of Kim Jong-il, the constitution was amended in 2012, declaring him Eternal General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Eternal Chairman of the National Defence Commission. The title of party leader was changed to "First Secretary".

In 2016, the title "eternal leaders of Juche Korea" was introduced by amending the preamble of the constitution, which was given to Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.

Head of state role in North Korea after the death of Kim Il-sung

The functions and powers previously belonging to the President were divided between three officials: the head of government, the Premier of North Korea; the speaker of the legislature, the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly; and the head of the military, the Chairman of the National Defence Commission (replaced by State Affairs Commission of North Korea in 2016) and Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army, all of which are currently held by Kim Il-sung's grandson, Kim Jong-un.

The latter Kim is also the chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, and is reckoned as "Supreme Leader" with absolute control over the country.

The President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly performs representative functions ordinarily accorded to a head of state.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Constitution of North Korea (2012) Wikisource
  2. ↑ Constitution of North Korea (1972) Wikisource
  3. ↑ Ashley J. Tellis; Michael Wills (30 September 2007). Domestic Political Change and Grand Strategy. NBR. p. 128. ISBN 978-0-9713938-8-2. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  4. ↑ "Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea". Preamble,  of 2012. |access-date= requires |url= (help)

Bibliography

  • Kim Jong-il (1994). Let Us Hold the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung in High Esteem as the Eternal President of Our Republic.
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