View source for Premier of North Korea

{{Short description|Head of government of North Korea}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Premier
| body = the Cabinet of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
| nativename = 
| insignia = Emblem of North Korea.svg
| insigniasize = 100px
| insigniacaption = [[Emblem of North Korea]]
| department = [[Cabinet of North Korea]]
| image = Pak Thae-song.jpg
| alt = 
| incumbent = [[Pak Thae-song]]
| incumbentsince = 29 December 2024
| style = 
| residence = 
| nominator = [[Supreme People's Assembly]]
| nominatorpost = 
| appointer = Supreme People's Assembly
| appointerpost = 
| termlength = Five years, renewable
| inaugural = [[Kim Il Sung]]
| formation = 9 September 1948
| last = 
| abolished = 
| succession = 
| deputy = [[Vice Premier of North Korea|Vice Premier]]
| salary = 
| website = 
| flag = Flag of North Korea.svg
| type = [[Head of government]]
| member_of = [[Cabinet of North Korea|Cabinet]]
| flagsize = 125px
| flagcaption = [[Flag of North Korea]]
| native_name = 조선민주주의인민공화국 내각총리
}}
{{Infobox Korean name
| title     = Premier of the Cabinet of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
| hangul    =조선민주주의인민공화국 내각총리
| hanja     =朝鮮民主主義人民共和國內閣總理
| rr        =Joseon Minjujuui Inmin Gonghwaguk Naegak Chongni
| mr        =Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk Naegak Ch'ongni
| context   =north
}}

The '''premier of North Korea''', officially the '''premier of the Cabinet of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea''', is the [[head of government]] of [[North Korea]] and leader of the [[Cabinet of North Korea|North Korean Cabinet]].

The premier is officially appointed by the [[Supreme People's Assembly]] (SPA), which also appoints other members of the Cabinet on the nomination of the premier. The premier organizes and leads the Cabinet, and constitutionally represents the [[government of North Korea]]. The incumbent premier is [[Pak Thae-song]], since 29 December 2024.

==History==
Originally, under the 1948 [[Constitution of North Korea|Constitution of the DPRK]], the Premier was the highest state post in North Korea. [[Kim Il Sung]] himself inaugurated the post, keeping it for 24 years until 1972, while the ceremonial role of the [[head of state]] rested in the [[Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly]].

The 1972 Constitution created the post of [[President of North Korea|President]], which replaced the premiership as the top state post. The executive presidency was created with Kim in mind, and he transferred to that post soon after the Constitution was promulgated. The Premier was now the head of the Administration Council, but most of the powers of the former cabinet were passed to the Central People's Committee, the highest ruling council chaired by the president himself. The first premier after Kim Il Sung was his long-time ally [[Kim Il (politician)|Kim Il]]. The post was then officially known as ''Premier of the Administration Council'' ({{lang|ko|정무원 총리}}, ''jungmuwon chongni'').

After [[Death and state funeral of Kim Il Sung|Kim Il Sung died]], the post of president remained vacant (officially Kim Il Sung was proclaimed [[Eternal President of the Republic|Eternal President]]) as his son [[Kim Jong Il]] planned a new State reorganization. A constitution revision in 1998 abolished both the Central People's Committee and the Administration Council, re-creating the Cabinet.

==Functions==
The premier is officially elected by the [[Supreme People's Assembly]] (SPA), which also has the right to recall the premier.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Socialist Constitution |url=http://www.naenara.com.kp/main/index/en/politics?arg_val=leader3 |access-date=2 July 2023 |website=[[Naenara]]}}</ref> The premier also nominates the candidacies for other members of the [[Cabinet of North Korea|Cabinet]], including vice premiers, the cabinet chairman, various ministers and other cabinet members, which are then appointed by the SPA. A newly-appointed premier takes an oath of allegiance in the SPA on behalf of other cabinet members.<ref name=":0" />

The premier organizes and oversees the cabinet, and represents the [[government of North Korea]].<ref name=":0" /> The premier also attends the plenary meetings and the permanent committee meetings of the Cabinet.<ref name=":0" /> The cabinet is charged with executing the policies decided by the [[Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea]] and the office effectively has no policy-making authority of its own.<ref name=":0" />

The Premier is nominally part of a triumvirate overseeing North Korea's executive branch, alongside the [[Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly]] and the [[President of the State Affairs Commission]]. According to the constitution, the SAC President, SPA Standing Committee chairman and Premier have powers equivalent to one-third of those of a president's powers in most presidential systems. The SPA Standing Committee chairman conducts foreign relations, the premier handles domestic matters and heads the government, and the SAC President (known as the chairman of the [[National Defence Commission]] before 2016) commands the armed forces. However, the SAC President is constitutionally defined as "the highest post in the state" and the country's supreme leader.

The Premier ranked as the lowest member of the executive triumvirate: significantly, [[Kim Jong Il]] was NDC Chairman without interruption from 1993 until 2011, and [[Kim Yong-nam]] was President of the SPA Presidium from 1998 to 2019, while there have been six premiers since Kim Il Sung's death. Kim Tok Hun, the incumbent Premier, has assumed the second-ranking position, while Choe Ryong-hae, Chairman of the SPA Standing Committee, is currently ranked third.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weiser |first=Martin |date=2022-08-01 |title=North Korea’s premier now ranks as top official. Is he Kim Jong Un’s successor? |url=https://www.nknews.org/pro/north-koreas-premier-now-ranks-as-top-official-is-he-kim-jong-uns-successor/ |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=NK PRO |language=en-US}}</ref>

==List of office holders==
The following is a list of premiers of North Korea since its founding in 1948.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:100%;"
|-
! rowspan="2" |No.
! rowspan="2" |Portrait
! rowspan="2" width="150" |Name<br>{{Small|(Birth–Death)}}
! colspan="3" |Term of office
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Party
! rowspan="2" width="125" |[[List of heads of state of North Korea|Head of state]]
! rowspan="2" |[[Supreme People's Assembly|SPA]]
|-
! width="85" |{{Small|Took office}}
! width="85" |{{Small|Left office}}
! width="85" |{{Small|Time in office}}
|-
! colspan="10" | Premier of the Cabinet<br>{{lang|ko|내각 수상}}
|-
| rowspan="5" |'''1'''
| rowspan="5" |[[File:Kim Il Sung Portrait.png|100px]]
| rowspan="5" |'''[[Kim Il Sung]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|김일성}}<br>{{small|(1912–1994)}}
| rowspan="5" |{{Small|9 September}}<br>1948
| rowspan="5" |{{Small|28 December}}<br>1972
| rowspan="5" |{{ayd|1948|09|09|1972|12|28}}
! style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| [[Workers' Party of North Korea]]<br>{{Small|(until 1949)}}
| rowspan="2" |'''[[Kim Tu-bong]]'''<br>{{small|(1948–1957)}}
| rowspan="2" |[[1st Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea|1st]]
|-style="height:25px;"
! rowspan="4" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| rowspan="4" |[[Workers' Party of Korea]]<br>{{Small|(from 1949)}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |'''[[Choe Yong-gon (official)|Choe Yong-gon]]'''<br>{{small|(1957–1972)}}
| [[2nd Supreme People's Assembly|2nd]]
|-
| [[3rd Supreme People's Assembly|3rd]]
|-
| [[4th Supreme People's Assembly|4th]]
|-
! colspan="10" |Premier of the Administration Council<br>{{lang|ko|정무원 총리}}
|-
| '''2'''
| [[File:KimIl1974.jpg|100px]]
| '''[[Kim Il (politician)|Kim Il]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|김일}}<br>{{small|(1910–1984)}}
| {{Small|28 December}}<br>1972
| {{Small|30 April}}<br>1976
| {{ayd|1972|12|28|1976|04|30}}
! style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| [[Workers' Party of Korea]]
| rowspan="9" |'''[[Kim Il Sung]]'''<br>{{small|(1972–1994)}}
| rowspan="2" |[[5th Supreme People's Assembly|5th]]
|-
| '''3'''
| [[File:Pak Sŏngch'ŏl, June 1973.jpg|100px]]
| '''[[Pak Song-chol]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|박성철}}<br>{{small|(1913–2008)}}
| {{Small|30 April}}<br>1976
| {{Small|15 December}}<br>1977
| {{ayd|1976|04|30|1977|12|15}}
! style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| [[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |'''4'''
| rowspan="2" |[[File:Li Jong-ok.jpg|100px]]
| rowspan="2" |'''[[Ri Jong-ok]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|리종옥}}<br>{{small|(1916–1999)}}
| rowspan="2" |{{Small|15 December}}<br>1977
| rowspan="2" |{{Small|25 January}}<br>1984
| rowspan="2" |{{ayd|1977|12|15|1984|01|25}}
! rowspan="2" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| rowspan="2" |[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
| [[1977 North Korean parliamentary election|6th]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[1982 North Korean parliamentary election|7th]]
|-
| '''5'''
| [[File:Silver - replace this image male.svg|100px]]
| '''[[Kang Song-san]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|강성산}}<br>{{small|(1931–2007)}}
| {{Small|25 January}}<br>1984
| {{Small|29 December}}<br>1986
| {{ayd|1984|01|25|1986|12|29}}
! style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| [[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|-
| '''6'''
| [[File:Silver - replace this image male.svg|100px]]
| '''[[Ri Kun-mo]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|리근모}}<br>{{small|(1926–2001)}}
| {{Small|29 December}}<br>1986
| {{Small|12 December}}<br>1988
| {{ayd|1986|12|29|1988|12|12}}
! style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| [[Workers' Party of Korea]]
| rowspan="2" |[[1986 North Korean parliamentary election|8th]]
|-style="height:35px;"
| rowspan="2" |'''7'''
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Silver - replace this image male.svg|100px]]
| rowspan="2" |'''[[Yon Hyong-muk]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|연형묵}}<br>{{small|(1931–2005)}}
| rowspan="2" |{{Small|12 December}}<br>1988
| rowspan="2" |{{Small|11 December}}<br>1992
| rowspan="2" |{{ayd|1988|12|12|1992|12|11}}
! rowspan="2" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| rowspan="2" |[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|-
| rowspan="4" |[[1990 North Korean parliamentary election|9th]]
|-style="height:35px;"
| rowspan="2" |'''(5)'''
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Silver - replace this image male.svg|100px]]
| rowspan="2" |'''[[Kang Song-san]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|강성산}}<br>{{small|(1931–2007)}}
| rowspan="2" |{{Small|11 December}}<br>1992
| rowspan="2" |{{Small|21 February}}<br>1997
| rowspan="2" |{{ayd|1992|12|11|1997|02|21}}
! rowspan="2" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| rowspan="2" |[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |''Vacant''<br>{{small|(1994–1998)}}
|-
| '''–'''
| [[File:Silver - replace this image male.svg|100px]]
| '''[[Hong Song-nam]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|홍성남}}<br>{{small|(1929–2009)<br>''Acting Premier''}}
| {{Small|21 February}}<br>1997
| {{Small|5 September}}<br>1998
| {{ayd|1997|02|21|1998|09|05}}
! style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| [[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|-
! colspan="10" |Premier of the Cabinet<br>{{lang|ko|내각총리}}
|-
| '''8'''
| [[File:Silver - replace this image male.svg|100px]]
| '''[[Hong Song-nam]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|홍성남}}<br>{{small|(1929–2009)}}<br><ref>{{Cite web |date=5 September 1998 |title=Election for state leadership organs |url=https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1452000010-828642352/election-for-state-leadership-organs/ |website=[[KCNA Watch]]}}</ref>
| {{Small|5 September}}<br>1998
| {{Small|3 September}}<br>2003
| {{ayd|1998|09|05|2003|09|03}}
! style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| [[Workers' Party of Korea]]
| rowspan="7" |'''[[Kim Yong-nam]]'''<br>{{small|(1998–2019)}}
| [[10th Supreme People's Assembly|10th]]
|-
| '''9'''
| [[File:Silver - replace this image male.svg|100px]]
| '''[[Pak Pong-ju]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|박봉주}}<br>{{small|(born 1939)}}<br><ref>{{Cite web |date=4 September 2003 |title=Members of DPRK Cabinet Appointed |url=https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1452003583-600970196/members-of-dprk-cabinet-appointed/ |website=[[KCNA Watch]]}}</ref>
| {{Small|3 September}}<br>2003
| {{Small|11 April}}<br>2007
| {{ayd|2003|09|03|2007|04|11}}
! style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| [[Workers' Party of Korea]]
| rowspan="2" |[[11th Supreme People's Assembly|11th]]
|-style="height:40px;"
| rowspan="2" |'''10'''
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Silver - replace this image male.svg|100px]]
| rowspan="2" |'''[[Kim Yong-il]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|김영일}}<br>{{small|(born 1944)}}<br><ref>{{Cite web |date=12 April 2007 |title=5th Session of 11th SPA of DPRK Held |url=https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1451886181-494131500/5th-session-of-11th-spa-of-dprk-held/ |website=KCNA Watch}}</ref>
| rowspan="2" |{{Small|11 April}}<br>2007
| rowspan="2" |{{Small|7 June}}<br>2010
| rowspan="2" |{{ayd|2007|04|11|2010|06|07}}
! rowspan="2" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| rowspan="2" |[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[2009 North Korean parliamentary election|12th]]
|-
| '''11'''
| [[File:Silver - replace this image male.svg|100px]]
| '''[[Choe Yong-rim]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|최영림}}<br>{{small|(born 1930)}}<br><ref>{{Cite web |date=7 June 2010 |title=Choe Yong Rim Elected PM |url=https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1451889768-504710375/choe-yong-rim-elected-pm/ |website=KCNA Watch}}</ref>
| {{Small|7 June}}<br>2010
| {{Small|1 April}}<br>2013
| {{ayd|2010|06|07|2013|04|01}}
! style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| [[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|-style="height:40px;"
| rowspan="2" |'''(9)'''
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Silver - replace this image male.svg|100px]]
| rowspan="2" |'''[[Pak Pong-ju]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|박봉주}}<br>{{small|(born 1939)}}<br><ref>{{Cite web |date=1 April 2013 |title=Seventh Session of 12th SPA of DPRK Held |url=https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1451900680-189966020/seventh-session-of-12th-spa-of-dprk-held/ |website=KCNA Watch}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=9 April 2014 |title=Members of DPRK Cabinet Appointed |url=https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1546472439-574709131/members-of-dprk-cabinet-appointed/ |website=[[KCNA Watch]]}}</ref>
| rowspan="2" |{{Small|1 April}}<br>2013
| rowspan="2" |{{Small|11 April}}<br>2019
| rowspan="2" |{{ayd|2013|04|01|2019|04|11}}
! rowspan="2" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| rowspan="2" |[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|-
| [[2014 North Korean parliamentary election|13th]]
|-
| '''12'''
| [[File:Silver - replace this image male.svg|100px]]
| '''[[Kim Jae-ryong]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|김재룡}}<br>{{small|(born 1959)}}<br><ref>{{Cite web |date=12 April 2019 |title=First Session of 14th SPA Held |url=https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1555027928-864747826/first-session-of-14th-spa-held/ |website=[[KCNA Watch]]}}</ref>
| {{Small|11 April}}<br>2019
| {{Small|13 August}}<br>2020
| {{ayd|2019|04|11|2020|08|13}}
! style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| [[Workers' Party of Korea]]
| rowspan="3" |'''[[Kim Jong Un]]'''<br>{{small|(since 2019)}}
| rowspan="3" |[[2019 North Korean parliamentary election|14th]]
|-
| '''13'''
| [[File:2024年金徳訓 2024년김덕훈.jpg|100px]]
| '''[[Kim Tok-hun]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|김덕훈}}<br>{{small|(born 1961)}}<br><ref>{{Cite web |date=14 August 2020 |title=New Premier of DPRK Cabinet Appointed |url=https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1597365271-188987108/new-premier-of-dprk-cabinet-appointed/ |website=KCNA Watch}}</ref>
| {{Small|13 August}}<br>2020
| {{Small|29 December}}<br>2024
| {{ayd|2020|08|13|2024|12|29}}
! style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| [[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|-
| '''14'''
| [[File:Pak Thae-song.jpg|100px]]
| '''[[Pak Thae-song]]'''<br>{{lang|ko|박태성}}<br>{{small|(born 1955)}}<br><ref>{{Cite web |date=29 December 2024 |title=Press Release of Eleventh Plenary Meeting of Eighth C.C., WPK |url=https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1735429729-916415219/press-release-of-eleventh-plenary-meeting-of-eighth-c-c-wpk/ |website=KCNA Watch}}</ref>
| {{Small|29 December}}<br>2024
| Incumbent
| {{ayd|2024|12|29}}
! style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}};" |
| [[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|}
{{Politics of North Korea}}

==Timeline==
{{#tag:timeline|
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AlignBars = late

Define $today = {{#time:d/m/Y}}

Colors =
  id:nkwp value:red                 legend:Workers'_Party_of_North_Korea
  id:kwp  value:rgb(0.84,0.08,0.22) legend:Workers'_Party_of_Korea

  id:gray1  value:gray(0.85)
  id:gray2  value:gray(0.95)

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  text:"Political party:"

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 bar:il-sung
 bar:kim-il
 bar:song-chol
 bar:jong-ok
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 bar:kun-mo
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 bar:song-nam
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 bar:yong-il
 bar:yong-rim
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  width:5 align:left fontsize:9 shift:(5,-4) anchor:till

 bar: il-sung
  from: 09/09/1948 till: 24/06/1949 color:nkwp
  from: 24/06/1949 till: 28/12/1972 color:kwp  text:"[[Kim Il Sung]]"
 bar: kim-il
  from: 28/12/1972 till: 30/04/1976 color:kwp  text:"[[Kim Il (politician)|Kim Il]]"
 bar: song-chol
  from: 30/04/1976 till: 15/12/1977 color:kwp  text:"[[Pak Song-chol]]"
 bar: jong-ok
  from: 15/12/1977 till: 25/01/1984 color:kwp  text:"[[Ri Jong-ok]]"
 bar: song-san
  from: 25/01/1984 till: 29/12/1986 color:kwp
 bar: kun-mo
  from: 29/12/1986 till: 12/12/1988 color:kwp  text:"[[Ri Kun-mo]]"
 bar: hyong-muk
  from: 12/12/1988 till: 11/12/1992 color:kwp  text:"[[Yon Hyong-muk]]"
 bar: song-san
  from: 11/12/1992 till: 21/02/1997 color:kwp  text:"[[Kang Song-san]]"
 bar: song-nam
  from: 21/02/1997 till: 03/09/2003 color:kwp  text:"[[Hong Song-nam]]"
 bar: pong-ju
  from: 03/09/2003 till: 11/04/2007 color:kwp
 bar: yong-il
  from: 11/04/2007 till: 04/06/2010 color:kwp  text:"[[Kim Yong-il]]"
 bar: yong-rim
  from: 04/06/2010 till: 01/04/2013 color:kwp  text:"[[Kang Song-san]]"
 bar: pong-ju
  from: 01/04/2013 till: 11/04/2019 color:kwp  text:"[[Pak Pong-ju]]"
 bar: jae-ryong
  from: 11/04/2019 till: 13/08/2020 color:kwp  text:"[[Kim Jae-ryong]]"
 bar: tok-hun
  from: 13/08/2020 till: 29/12/2024 color:kwp  text:"[[Kim Tok-hun]]"
 bar: tae-song
  from: 29/12/2024 till: $today     color:kwp  text:"[[Park Tae-song]]"

}}

==See also==
{{Portal|North Korea|Politics}}
* [[Prime Minister of Imperial Korea]] (1895–1910)
* [[Prime Minister of South Korea]]
* [[Government of North Korea]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{NKPMs}}
{{Prime Minister}}
{{Supreme People's Assembly}}
{{Heads of state and government of Asia}}

[[Category:Prime ministers of North Korea| ]]
[[Category:Cabinet of North Korea]]