The National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ( NDC ) was the highest state institution for military and national defence leadership in North Korea, which also served as the highest governing institution of the country from 1998 until 2016 when it was replaced by the State Affairs Commission .
22-738: The National Defence Commission started as the National Defence Commission of the Central People's Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ( 조선민주주의인민공화국 중앙인민위원회 국방위원회 ) which was created on 27 December 1972 by the 1972 Constitution as one of the commissions that were subordinate to the Central People's Committee. The commission was separated from the Central People's Committee [ ja ] on 9 April 1992 through an amendment of
44-744: A defense issues guider and coordinator, the security organizations in North Korea are subordinate to the Commission and among them are the Korean People's Army , the Ministry of People's Armed Forces and the Ministry of State Security and the Ministry of Social Security . From 1972 until 2012, the National Defence Commission consisted of a chairman, first vice chairman, vice chairmen and members. The Chairman of
66-593: Is the de facto hereditary leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea , the state and the Korean People's Army . Each individual North Korean leader have assumed different offices and positions, and different titles were used in North Korean propaganda that could be translated from Korean as "Great Leader", "Dear Leader", or "Supreme Leader". "Supreme Leader" was originally a designation used for Kim Il Sung only, and only after his death. During his lifetime he
88-466: 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. 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 . The functions and powers previously belonging to
110-486: The "supreme national defence leadership institution of state power." The National Defence Commission continued to be the highest leadership body in North Korea until 29 June 2016 when an amendment to the 1972 Constitution created the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ( 조선민주주의인민공화국 국무위원회 ), which was designated as the new highest leadership body in the country, with
132-472: The 1972 Constitution relegated the National Defence Commission to a supervisory role as certain powers were introduced for the chairman of the National Defence Commission. The following functions were mandated for the National Defence Commission as the "supreme national defence leadership institution of state power": The National Defence Commission is responsible to the Supreme People's Assembly . As
154-539: The 1972 Constitution, and became the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea . It was also designated as the "supreme military leadership institution of state power." National Defense Commission was separated from the Central People's Committee (which was dissolved and replaced by the Cabinet) at the first session of the 10th convocation of the Supreme People's Assembly and became
176-552: The National Defence Commission was the head of the commission, and was the de facto highest official in North Korea from 1998 until 2009 and the de jure supreme leader of North Korea from 2009 until 2012. The chairman of the National Defence Commission also served as the supreme commander of the Korean People's Army. From 1972 until 1992, the President was the ex officio chairman of the National Defence Commission. Since 1992,
198-400: The National Defence Commission being disbanded to be convened only during times of war. The 1972 Constitution mandated the National Defence Commission to be one of the commissions that are subordinate to the Central People's Committee in order to assist it in its work. The 1992 amendment to the 1972 Constitution separated the National Defence Commission from the Central People's Committee and
220-651: The Supreme People's Assembly based on the proposal of the first chairman of the National Defence Commission. Among the departments that are known in the NDC were: Security agencies and organizations that subordinated to the Commission: The following are the members of the National Defence Commission at the time of its dissolution on 29 June 2016: Eternal leaders of North Korea#Presidency of North Korea before 1994 The eternal leaders of North Korea are mentions of deceased leaders of North Korea . The phrase
242-558: 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 ... The president was the de jure head of state of North Korea, but whose powers were exercised by the "sacred leader" of the nation's state ideology called Juche . According to Ashley J. Tellis and Michael Wills, this amendment to
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#1732765999261264-431: The chairman of the National Defence Commission was no longer required to be the President and was elected by the Supreme People's Assembly. The first vice chairman, the vice chairmen and the members of the National Defence Commission were elected by the Supreme People's Assembly based on the proposal of the President from 1972 until 1992, and by the chairman of the National Defence Commission from 1992 until 2012. In 2012,
286-537: The eternal Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea... The post of "President of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" was established in the Constitution of North Korea in 1972. Until then, Kim Il Sung held the posts of premier and general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea . In 1972, the presidency was established, and Kim Il Sung
308-473: The frequency increasing since then, including sometimes "great Supreme Leader". He was the first to be frequently called "Supreme Leader" while still alive, and at the relatively young age of 37. The 2020 newspaper article was part of the official preparations to appoint Kim Jong Un as the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea ie. leader of the Workers' Party, the sole political body in
330-405: The highest governing institution in North Korea on 5 September 1998 through an amendment of the 1972 Constitution that abolished the office of President of North Korea . It was designated as the "supreme military leadership and overall national defence management institution of state power." Since an amendment of the 1972 Constitution on 9 April 2009, the National Defence Commission was designated as
352-486: The position of chairman of the National Defence Commission was replaced by the First Chairman of the National Defence Commission following an amendment to the 1972 Constitution that enshrined Kim Jong Il as eternal chairman of the National Defence Commission after his death in 2011. The same amendment also mandated that the National Defence Commission also consisted of vice chairmen and members, which were elected by
374-404: The preamble was an indication of the unique North Korean characteristic of being a theocratic state based on the personality cult surrounding Kim Il Sung . In addition, North Korea adopted a Juche calendar dating from 1912, the year of Kim Il Sung's birth. The 2012 Constitution once again referred to Kim Il Sung as the "eternal President of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea". After
396-733: The president were divided between numerous officials: the premier of North Korea ; the chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly , chairman of the Standing Committee 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 . These positions are currently held by Kim Tok-hun , Choe Ryong-hae , and Kim Jong Un respectively. Supreme Leader (North Korean title) The supreme leader of North Korea ( Korean : 최고령도자 ; MR : Ch'oego Ryŏngdoja )
418-410: Was designated the following functions as the "supreme military leadership institution of state power": The 1998 amendment to the 1972 Constitution made the National Defence Commission as the highest governing institution in North Korea and was designated the following functions as the "supreme military leadership and overall national defence management institution of state power": The 2009 amendment to
440-470: Was elected to the position by the Supreme People's Assembly , the North Korean legislature , on 28 December 1972 . Kim served as president until 1994 when he died, and the position was left vacant and his son and successor Kim Jong Il was not given the title. The preamble of the Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as amended on 5 September 1998 reads: Under the leadership of
462-408: Was known as "Great Leader" ( 위대한 수령 ), a title to this day that only refers to him. His son, Kim Jong Il, was known as "Dear Leader" ( 친애하는 령도자 ) during his lifetime, and only after death did North Korean media begin calling him "Supreme Leader", in the tradition of his father. The grandson, Kim Jong Un, was first called "Supreme Leader" in a North Korean newspaper article dated October 3, 2020, with
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#1732765999261484-570: Was mentioned in a line of the preamble to the Constitution , 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 Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung as the eternal President of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Comrade Kim Jong Il as
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