7th Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea

Last updated May 05, 2023

The 7th Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), officially the Political Bureau of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, was elected by the 1st Plenary Session of the 7th Central Committee, in the immediate aftermath of the 7th WPK Congress. The composition of the 7th Politburo was changed on several occasions by plenary sessions of the 7th WPK Central Committee.^[1]

Members elected at the 1st Plenary Session

Rank	Name	Korean	6th POL	8th POL	Birth	Gender
1	Kim Jong Un	김정은	Old	Reelected	1982	Male
2	Kim Yong-nam	김영남	Old	Not	1928	Male
3	Hwang Pyong-so	황병서	New	Not	1949	Male
4	Pak Pong-ju	박봉주	Old	Not	1939	Male
5	Choe Ryong-hae	최룡해	Old	Reelected	1950	Male
6	Kim Ki-nam	김기남	Old	Not	1934	Male
7	Choe Thae-bok	최태복	Old	Not	1930	Male
8	Ri Su-yong	리수용	New	Not	1940	Male
9	Kim Phyong-hae	김평해	Alt.	Not	1941	Male
10	O Su-yong	오수용	New	Reelected	1944	Male
11	Kwak Pom-gi	곽범기	Alt.	Not	1939	Male
12	Kim Yong-chol	김영철	New	Reelected	1946	Male
13	Ri Man-gon	리만건	New	Not	1945	Male
14	Yang Hyong-sop	양형섭	Old	Not	1925	Male
15	Ro Tu-chol	로두철	Alt.	Not	1950	Male
16	Pak Yong-sik	박영식	New	Not	1950	Male
17	Ri Myong-su	리명수	New	Not	1934	Male
18	Kim Won-hong	김원홍	Old	Not	1945	Male
19	Choe Pu-il	최부일	Alt.	Not	1944	Male
References: ^[1]

Alternates elected at the 1st Plenary Session

Rank	Name	Korean	6th POL	8th POL	Birth	Gender
1	Kim Su-gil	김수길	New	Not	1950	Male
2	Kim Nung-o	김능오	New	Not	1960s	Male
3	Pak Thae-song	박태성	New	Member	1955	Male
4	Ri Yong-ho	리용호	New	Not	1956	Male
5	Im Chol-ung	임철웅	New	Not	1961	Male
6	Jo Yon-jun	조연준	Alt.	Not	1937	Male
7	Ri Pyong-chol	리병철	New	Member	1948	Male
8	No Kwang-chol	노광철	New	Not	1956	Male
9	Ri Yong-gil	리영길	Alt.	Not	1955	Male
References: ^[1]

Changes

Name	Korean	Plenary Sessions of the Central Committee						8th POL	Birth	Gender
Name	Korean	1st (2016)	2nd (2017)	3rd (2018)	4th (2019)	5th (2019)	6th (2020)	8th POL	Birth	Gender
An Jong-su	안정수	—	Member	Member	Member	Removed	—	Not	1951	Male
Choe Hwi	최휘	—	Alt.	Alt.	Member	Member	Member	Not	1954	Male
Choe Pu-il	최부일	Member	Member	Member	Member	Member	Member	Not	1944	Male
Choe Ryong-hae	최룡해	Member	Member	Member	Member	Member	Member	Reelected	1950	Male
Choe Thae-bok	최태복	Member	Removed	—	—	—	—	Not	1930	Male
Ho Chol-man	허철만	—	—	—	—	Alt.	Alt.	Reelected A.	1949	Male
Hwang Pyong-so	황병서	Member	Member	Dismissed	—	—	—	Not	1949	Male
Im Chol-ung	임철웅	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Not	1961	Male
Jo Chun-ryong	조춘룡	—	—	—	Alt.	Removed	—	Not	1937	Male
Jo Yon-jun	조연준	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Removed	—	Not	1937	Male
Jo Yong-won	조용원	—	—	—	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Reelected	1957	Male
Jon Kwang-ho	전광호	—	—	—	—	—	Alt.	Not	1940s	Male
Jong Kyong-thaek	정경택	—	Alt.	Alt.	Member	Member	Member	Reelected	1961	Male
Kim Hyong-jun	김형준	—	—	—	—	Alt.	Alt.	Not	1949	Male
Kim Jae-ryong	김재룡	—	—	—	Member	Member	Member	Reelected	1959	Male
Kim Jong-gak	김정각	—	—	Member	Removed	—	—	Not	1941	Male
Kim Jong Un	김정은	Member	Member	Member	Member	Member	Member	Reelected	1982	Male
Kim Ki-nam	김기남	Member	Removed	—	—	—	—	Not	1934	Male
Kim Nung-o	김능오	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Removed	—	Not	1960s	Male
Kim Phyong-hae	김평해	Member	Member	Member	Member	Removed	—	Not	1941	Male
Kim Su-gil	김수길	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Member	Member	Member	Not	1950	Male
Kim Tok-hun	김덕훈	—	—	—	Alt.	Member	Member	Reelected	1962	Male
Kim Won-hong	김원홍	Member	Member	Removed	—	—	—	Not	1945	Male
Kim Yong-chol	김영철	Member	Member	Member	Member	Member	Member	Reelected	1946	Male
Kim Yong-hwan	김영환	—	—	—	—	—	Alt.	Reelected A.	1940s	Male
Kim Yo-jong	김여정	—	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Removed	Alt.	Not	1987	Female
Kim Yong-nam	김영남	Member	Member	Member	Removed	—	—	Not	1928	Male
Kwak Pom-gi	곽범기	Member	Removed	—	—	—	—	Not	1939	Male
No Kwang-chol	노광철	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Removed	—	Not	1956	Male
O Su-yong	오수용	Member	Member	Member	Member	Member	Member	Reelected	1944	Male
Pak Jong-chon	박정천	—	—	—	—	Alt.	Member	Reelected	1950s	Male
Pak Jong-nam	박정남	—	—	—	—	Alt.	Alt.	Not	1950s	Male
Pak Kwang-ho	박광호	—	Member	Member	Member	Removed	—	Not	1949	Male
Pak Myong-sun	박명순	—	—	—	—	—	Alt.	Reelected A.	1940s	Female
Pak Pong-ju	박봉주	Member	Member	Member	Member	Member	Member	Not	1939	Male
Pak Thae-dok	박태덕	—	Alt.	Alt.	Member	Member	Member	Reelected A.	1955	Male
Pak Thae-song	박태성	Alt.	Member	Member	Member	Member	Member	Reelected	1955	Male
Pak Yong-sik	박영식	Member	Member	Member	Removed	—	—	Not	1950	Male
Ri Hi-yong	리히용	—	—	—	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Not	1960	Male
Ri Ho-rim	리호림	—	—	—	—	Alt.	Alt.	Not	1949	Male
Ri Il-hwan	리일환	—	—	—	—	Member	Member	Reelected	1960	Male
Ri Man-gon	리만건	Member	Alt.	Alt.	Member	Member	Removed	Not	1941	Male
Ri Myong-su	리명수	Member	Member	Removed	—	—	—	Not	1934	Male
Ri Pyong-chol	리병철	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Member	Member	Reelected	1948	Male
Ri Ryong-nam	리룡남	—	—	—	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Not	1960	Male
Ri Son-gwon	리선권	—	—	—	—	Alt.	Removed	Reelected A.	1949	Male
Ri Su-yong	리수용	Member	Member	Member	Member	Removed	—	Reelected	1930	Male
Ri Yong-gil	리영길	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Alt.	Removed	—	Reelected	1955	Male
Ri Yong-ho	리용호	Alt.	Member	Member	Member	Removed	—	Not	1956	Male
Ro Tu-chol	로두철	Member	Member	Member	Member	Removed	—	Not	1950	Male
Thae Hyong-chol	태형철	—	—	—	Member	Member	Member	Reelected A.	1953	Male
Thae Jong-su	박태성	—	Member	Member	Member	Removed	—	Not	1955	Male
Yang Hyong-sop	양형섭	Member	Member	Member	Removed	—	—	Not	1925	Male
References: ^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

Related Research Articles

The 6th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was elected by the 6th Congress on 14 October 1980, and remained in session until the election of the 7th Central Committee on 9 May 2016. The Central Committee composition was replenished by the 3rd WPK Conference. In between party congresses and specially convened conferences the Central Committee is the highest decision-making institution in the WPK and North Korea. The Central Committee is not a permanent institution and delegates day-to-day work to elected bodies, such as the Presidium, the Politburo, the Secretariat, the Central Military Commission and the Control Commission in the case of the 6th Central Committee. It convenes meetings, known as "Plenary Session of the [term] Central Committee", to discuss major policies. Only full members have the right to vote, but if a full member cannot attend a plenary session, the person's spot is taken over by an alternate. Plenary session can also be attended by non-members, such meetings are known as "Enlarged Plenary Session", to participate in the committee's discussions.

The 7th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the ruling party of North Korea, was held on 6–9 May 2016.

The 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was elected by the 7th Congress on 9 May 2016, and remained in session until the election of the 8th Central Committee on 10 January 2021. In between party congresses and specially convened conferences the Central Committee is the highest decision-making institution in the WPK and North Korea. The Central Committee is not a permanent institution and delegates day-to-day work to elected bodies, such as the Presidium, the Politburo, the Executive Policy Bureau, the Central Military Commission and the Control Commission in the case of the 7th Central Committee. It convenes meetings, known as "Plenary Session of the [term] Central Committee", to discuss major policies. Only full members have the right to vote, but if a full member cannot attend a plenary session, the person's spot is taken over by an alternate. Plenary session can also be attended by non-members, such meetings are known as "Enlarged Plenary Session", to participate in the committee's discussions.

The Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Workers' Party of Korea, or simply the Presidium, and formerly known as the Standing Committee (1946–61), is a committee consisting of the top leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea. Historically, it has been composed of one to five members, and currently has five members. Its officially mandated purpose is to conduct policy discussions and make decisions on major issues when the Politburo, a larger decision-making body, is not in session. While the Presidium in theory reports to the Politburo, which in turn reports to the larger Central Committee, in practice the Presidium is supreme over its parent bodies and acts as the most powerful decision-making body in North Korea. As North Korea is a one-party state, the Presidium's decisions de facto have the force of law. Its role is roughly analogous to that of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.

Kim Phyong-hae is a North Korean politician. He was a Vice Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and the director of the Cadres' Affairs Department of the WPK. He is a full member of the 7th Central Committee of the WPK and a full member of the Politburo of the WPK. Kim is also a deputy to the 13th Supreme People's Assembly.

The Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) were offices that existed within the WPK between 1949–66 and 2016–21. The office of "Chairman of the Central Committee" existed between 1949–66 and the office of "Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea" existed in 2016–21. The deputy to the Chairman, the officeholder of Vice Chairman of the Central Committee existed in 1949–66 and 2016–21. This list also includes the chairmen and vice chairmen of the direct predecessors of the WPK.

Pak Thae-dok is a North Korean politician, he held the position of the Vice Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) with a general affairs portfolio till 2020. Pak is also an alternate member of the Politburo of the WPK, a full member of the Central Committee of the WPK, and a deputy to the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA).

Kim Jae-ryong is a North Korean politician who served as Premier of North Korea from April 2019 to August 2020. A senior official within the Workers' Party of Korea, he has served as the director of the Organization and Guidance Department since 2020 and as a deputy to the Supreme People's Assembly.

Ri Il-hwan is a North Korean politician, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). He is currently the director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department (PAD) of the party.

The 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea was held at the April 25 House of Culture in Pyongyang from 5 to 12 January 2021. A total of 7,000 people participated in the congress including 5,000 delegates. The Party Congress took place in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic where no cases were reported.

Ho Chol-man is a North Korean politician. At the 5th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the WPK held on December 31, 2019, he was elected as a candidate (alternate) member of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea.

The 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was elected at the party's 8th Congress on 10 January 2021, and will sit until the convocation of the next party congress. In between party congresses and specially convened conferences the Central Committee is the highest decision-making institution in the WPK and North Korea. The Central Committee is not a permanent institution and delegates day-to-day work to the Presidium, the Politburo, the Secretariat, the Central Military Commission and the Central Auditing Commission. It convenes meetings, known as "Plenary Session of the [term] Central Committee", to discuss major policies. Only full members have the right to vote, but if a full member cannot attend a plenary session, the person's spot is taken over by an alternate. Plenary session can also be attended by non-members, such meetings are known as "Enlarged Plenary Session", to participate in the committee's discussions.

The 8th Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK)(Korean: 8차조선로동당정치국), officially the Political Bureau of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, was elected on 11 January 2021 by the 1st Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee during the 8th WPK Congress.

The 8th Central Auditing Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK)(8차 조선로동당 중앙감사위원회) was elected at the party's 8th Congress on 10 January 2021. It is composed of one chairman, two vice chairmen and twelve ordinary members.

The 8th Secretariat of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) (8차 조선로동당 비서국), officially the Secretariat of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, was elected by the 1st Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee in the immediate aftermath of the 8th WPK Congress.

The 8th Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) (제 8차 조선로동당 중앙 군사위원회), officially the Central Military Commission of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, was elected at the 1st Plenary Session of the 7th WPK Central Committee in the immediate aftermath of the party's 8th Congress on 10 January 2021. It is composed of one chairman, one vice chairmen and eleven ordinary members.

The 6th Presidium of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), officially the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the 6th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, was elected by the 1st Plenary Session of the 6th Central Committee on 14 October 1980.

The 7th Presidium of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK)(제 7차 조선로동당 상임위원회), officially the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the 7th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, was elected by the 1st Plenary Session of the 7th Central Committee on 10 May 2016.

The 8th Presidium of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK)(8차 조선로동당 상임위원회), officially the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea(제 8차 조선로동당 당대회 정치국 상임위원회), was elected by the 1st Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee on 10 May 2021.

The 14th Cabinet of North Korea was elected by the 1st Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly on 11 April 2019.

References

1 2 3 4 "Official Report of First Plenary Meeting of 7th WPK Central Committee Issued". Korean Central News Agency. 10 May 2016. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021– via KCNA Watch.
↑ "Second Plenum of Seventh WPK Central Committee". Korean Central News Agency. 8 October 2017. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021– via KCNA Watch.
↑ "3rd Plenary Meeting of 7th C.C., WPK Held in Presence of Kim Jong Un". Korean Central News Agency. 21 April 2018. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021– via KCNA Watch.
↑ "Report on 4th Plenary Meeting of 7th Central Committee of WPK". Korean Central News Agency. 11 April 2019. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021– via KCNA Watch.
↑ "Report on 5th Plenary Meeting of 7th C.C., WPK". Korean Central News Agency. 1 January 2020. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021– via KCNA Watch.
↑ "6th Plenary Meeting of 7th Central Committee of WPK Held". Korean Central News Agency. 20 August 2020. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021– via KCNA Watch.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[Plenary-1] 1 2 3 4 "Official Report of First Plenary Meeting of 7th WPK Central Committee Issued". Korean Central News Agency. 10 May 2016. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021– via KCNA Watch.

[2plenary-2] "Second Plenum of Seventh WPK Central Committee". Korean Central News Agency. 8 October 2017. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021– via KCNA Watch.

[3plenary-3] "3rd Plenary Meeting of 7th C.C., WPK Held in Presence of Kim Jong Un". Korean Central News Agency. 21 April 2018. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021– via KCNA Watch.

[4plenary-4] "Report on 4th Plenary Meeting of 7th Central Committee of WPK". Korean Central News Agency. 11 April 2019. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021– via KCNA Watch.

[5plenary-5] "Report on 5th Plenary Meeting of 7th C.C., WPK". Korean Central News Agency. 1 January 2020. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021– via KCNA Watch.

[6plenary-6] "6th Plenary Meeting of 7th Central Committee of WPK Held". Korean Central News Agency. 20 August 2020. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021– via KCNA Watch.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]