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Political System

Character, Duty and Ultimate Aim of the State

The DPRK is the socialist country of Juche where the ideas and leadership of President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il are applied.

It is an independent socialist state representing the interests of the Korean people. In other words, it represents the interests of all the Koreans, including those in the north and south and overseas, and it is a country which has been built by the masses themselves and run according to their demands and will, a country in which the masses are the masters of everything and everything serves them.

It is the main revolutionary tasks facing the DPRK Government to strengthen the people’s power, to achieve the complete victory of socialism by dynamically carrying out the three revolutions-ideological, technological and cultural, and to reunify the country on the principles of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity.

Under the leadership of the Workers’ Party of Korea the Korean people, closely united around Marshal Kim Jong Un, are stepping up the drive to carry the socialist cause through to the end, holding Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il in high esteem as their eternal leaders.

Socialist Constitution of the DPRK

With the development of socialist construction in the country, the Socialist Constitution of the DPRK was adopted on December 27, Juche 61 (1972).

The Socialist Constitution was amended and supplemented at the Fifth Session of the 12th Supreme People’s Assembly held on April 13, Juche 101 (2012). It codifies the Juche-oriented ideas of President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il on State building and their exploits in it, and named the Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il Constitution.

It stipulates that Kim Il Sung is upheld as the eternal President of the DPRK and Kim Jong Il as the eternal Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK.

The Seventh Session of the 12th SPA held on April 1, Juche 102 (2013) amended and supplemented the preamble of the Socialist Constitution, that the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun where Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are preserved in their lifetime appearances is a grand monument to their immortality and, a symbol of the dignity of all the Korean people and their eternal sanctuary, and adopted the DPRK Law on the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.

It also stipulates the principles and ways of politics, the economy, culture and national defence, the fundamental rights and duties of citizens and the composition, duties and activity principles of State organs.

The Socialist Constitution consists of the preamble, seven chapters and 172 articles.

State Organs

The Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK is the country’s supreme power organ that represents all its people and exercises legislative power.

The State Affairs Commission of the DPRK is the supreme policy-oriented leadership body of State power that discusses and decides important policies of the State, including those for defence building.

The Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK is the supreme leader of the DPRK. He is the supreme commander of the whole armed forces of the country and commands and directs all its armed forces. He directs the overall affairs of the State and personally guides the work of the State Affairs Commission.
He ratifies or rescinds major treaties concluded with other countries, exercises the right of granting special pardon, proclaims a state of emergency, a state of war and mobilization order within the country, and issues orders.

Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un is the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK.

The Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly is the highest organ of State power when the Supreme People’s Assembly is not in session.

The President of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly represents the State and receives the credentials and letters of recall of diplomatic representatives accredited by foreign countries.

The Cabinet is the administrative and executive body of State power and organ of overall State administration.

The Premier of the Cabinet represents the Government of the DPRK.

The Cabinet is accountable to the Supreme People’s Assembly and to the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly when the Supreme People’s Assembly is not in session.

The local People’s Assembly is the local organ of State power.
The local People’s Assembly deliberates and approves the local plan for the development of the national economy and the local budget and the reports on their implementation, and adopts measures to observe State laws in the area concerned.

The People’s Committee of a province (or municipality directly under central authority), city (or district) or county exercises the function of the local organ of State power when the People’s Assembly at the corresponding level is not in session and the administrative and executive organ of State power at the corresponding level.

A public prosecutors office is a national organ that supervises the observance and implementation of socialist laws. Investigation and prosecution are conducted by the Central Public Prosecutors Office, the Public Prosecutors Offices of a province (or municipality directly under central authority), city (or district) or county and the Special Public Prosecutors Office.

A court is a national organ that exercises socialist jurisdiction. Justice is administered by the Central Court, the Court of a province (or municipality directly under central authority), the City (or District) or County People’s Courts, and the Special Court. Verdicts are dellvered in the name of the DPRK.

Provisional People’s Committee of North Korea, People’s Committee of North Korea
The Provisional People’s Committee of North Korea was organized on February 8, Juche 35 (1946), right after Korea’s liberation from the Japanese military occupation.

Kim Il Sung made sure that the people themselves organized organs of power of united-front form led by the working class in keeping with their own actual conditions and, on the basis of it, established a central power organ. Under his guidance, local power organs were established, then the ten administrative bureaus of north Korea and, finally, the Provisional People’s Committee of North Korea.

In accordance with the people’s unanimous will and desire he was elected Chairman of the Provisional People’s Committee of North Korea.

On November 3, Juche 35 (1946) a democratic election was held in Korea, the first of its kind in the nation’s history spanning 5 000 years. In February the following year, the People’s Committee of North Korea was set up with Kim Il Sung elected as its Chairman in accordance of the Korean people’s unanimous will.

Fundamental Rights and Duties of Citizens

The DPRK substantially provides the people with genuine political freedom and rights according to the basic requirements of the Juche idea on ensuring the independence and creativity of man.

In the DPRK the rights and duties of citizens are based on the collectivist principle: “One for all and all for one.”
The Socialist Constitution of the DPRK stipulates that the State shall effectively guarantee the genuine democratic rights and freedom as well as all the conditions for ensuring the material and cultural well-being of all the citizens.

All citizens who have reached the age of 17 have the right to elect and to be elected, irrespective of sex, race, occupation, length of residence, property status, education, party affiliation, political views or religious belief. They are guaranteed freedom of speech, the press, assembly, demonstration and association. They have the freedom of religious belief. They are entitled to submit complaints and petitions.

Workers, peasants and other working people take part in the State administration as the masters of State power and are embraced in political parties and social organizations to conduct free socio-political activities. They have the rights to work, relaxation, education and free medical care. They are free to engage in scientific, literary and artistic pursuits .

Women are accorded equal social status and rights with men. Mothers and children are under special protection of the State.

Marriage and the family are protected by the State. Citizens are guaranteed inviolability of the person and the home, and privacy of correspondence.

The rights and freedom of citizens are being amplified with the consolidation and development of socialist system.

The Socialist Constitution of the DPRK sets it as a noble duty of citizens to firmly safeguard the political and ideological unity and solidarity of the people.

The duties of the citizens of the DPRK are to observe the laws of the State and the socialist standards of life, defend their honour and dignity as citizens of the DPRK, regard work as a noble duty, take good care of the property of the State and social, cooperative organizations, combat all forms of misappropriation and waste, and manage the nation’s economy diligently as the masters.

All the citizens regard it as their supreme duty and honour to sharpen revolutionary vigilance and devotedly fight for the security of the State and national defence.

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