Founding and early years (1945–1953) On 13 October 1945, the
North Korean Bureau of the Communist Party of Korea (NKB–CPK) was established, with
Kim Yong-bom as its first chairman. However, the NKB–CPK remained subordinate to the
CPK Central Committee, which was headquartered in Seoul and headed by
Pak Hon-yong. Two months later, at the 3rd Plenum of the NKB, Kim Yong-bom was replaced by
Kim Il Sung, an event which was probably orchestrated by the Soviet Union. The North Korean Bureau became the
Communist Party of North Korea in spring 1946, with Kim Il Sung being elected its chairman. On 22 July 1946, Soviet authorities in North Korea established the
United Democratic National Front, a
popular front led by the Communist Party of North Korea. The Communist Party of North Korea soon merged with the
New People's Party of Korea, a party primarily composed of communists from China. A special commission of the two parties ratified the merger on 28 July 1946, and it became official the following day. One month later (28–30 August 1946), the party held its
founding congress, establishing the
Workers' Party of North Korea (WPNK). The congress elected the former leader of the New People's Party of Korea
Kim Tu-bong as the first WPNK chairman, with Kim Il Sung its appointed deputy chairman. However, despite his formal downgrade in the party's hierarchy, Kim Il Sung remained its leader. Party control increased throughout the country after the congress. From 27 to 30 March 1948, the WPNK convened its
2nd Congress. While Kim Tu-bong was still the party's formal head, Kim Il Sung presented the main report to the congress. In it he claimed that North Korea was "a base of democracy", in contrast to South Korea, which he believed to be dictatorial. On 28 April 1948 a special session of the
Supreme People's Assembly approved the constitution proposed and written by WPNK cadres, which led to the official establishment of an independent North Korea. It did not call for the establishment of an independent North Korea, but for a unified Korea under a communist government; the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) would be Seoul, not Pyongyang. Kim Il Sung was the appointed head of government of the new state, with Kim Tu-bong heading the legislative branch. A year later on 24 June 1949, the Workers' Party of Korea was created with the merger of the WPNK and the
Workers' Party of South Korea. Kim Il Sung was not the most ardent supporter of a military reunification of Korea; that role was played by the South Korean communists, headed by Pak Hon-yong. After several meetings between Kim Il Sung and
Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, North Korea invaded South Korea on 25 June 1950, thus beginning the
Korean War. With
American intervention in the war the DPRK nearly collapsed, but it was saved by
Chinese intervention in the conflict. The war had the effect of weakening Soviet influence over Kim Il Sung and the WPK. Around this time, the main fault lines in early WPK politics were created. Four factions formed: the domestic faction (WPK cadres who had remained in Korea during Japanese rule), the Soviet faction (Koreans from the Soviet Union), the
Yan'an faction (Koreans from China) and the guerrilla faction (Kim Il Sung's personal faction). However, Kim Il Sung would be unable to further strengthen his position until the end of the war.
Kim Il Sung's consolidation of power (1953–1980) . Relations worsened between the WPK and the
Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) when Stalin's successor,
Nikita Khrushchev, began pursuing a policy of
de-Stalinization. During the
Sino–Soviet split, an ideological conflict between the CPSU and the
Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Kim Il Sung manoeuvred between the two socialist superpowers; by doing so, he weakened their influence on the WPK. By 1962 Kim Il Sung and the WPK favored the CCP over the CPSU in the ideological struggle, and "for a few years North Korea almost unconditionally supported the Chinese position on all important issues." The primary conflict between the WPK and the CPSU during this period was that Kim Il Sung did not support the denunciation of
Stalinism, the creation of a
collective leadership, and the theory of
peaceful coexistence between the capitalist and socialist worlds. Kim Il Sung believed peaceful coexistence to be synonymous with capitulation and knew that de-Stalinization in North Korea would effectively end his unlimited power over the WPK. The result of the souring of relations between the CPSU and the WPK was that the Soviet Union discontinued aid to North Korea. China was meanwhile unwilling to increase its aid. As a result of this, several industries in North Korea were on the brink of disaster.
Mao Zedong began the
Cultural Revolution shortly thereafter, an event criticized by the WPK as "left-wing opportunism" and a manifestation of the "
Trotskyist theory of a
permanent revolution." Relations between the CPSU and the CCP stabilized during the 1960s, with the WPK making it clear it would remain neutral in the Sino–Soviet conflict, thus resulting in the 1966 launch of the
Juche program aimed at national self-determination at all levels. This, in turn, strengthened Kim Il Sung's position in the WPK. Beginning in the 1960s, Kim Il Sung's cult of personality reached new heights. It had been no greater than Stalin's or Mao's until 1972, when
his birthday on 15 April became the country's main
public holiday and statues of him began to be built nationwide. Kim became known as "Great Leader", the "Sun of the Nation", "The Iron All-Victorious General" and "Marshal of the All-Mighty Republic" in WPK and state publications; official propaganda stated that "burning loyalty to the leader" was one of the main characteristics of any Korean. Kim Il Sung and his guerilla faction had purged the WPK of its opposing factions during the 1950s and the 1960s, to the dismay of both the CCP and the CPSU. The domestic faction was the first to go (in 1953–55), followed by the Yan'an faction in 1957–58 and the Soviet Koreans (along with anyone else deemed unfaithful to the WPK leadership) in the 1957–62 purge. According to historian
Andrei Lankov, "Kim Il Sung had become not only supreme but also the omnipotent ruler of North Korea—no longer merely 'first amongst equals, as had been the case in the late 1940s". After purging his WPK opposition, Kim Il Sung consolidated his power base with
nepotism and hereditary succession in the Kim family and the guerilla faction. Beginning in the late 1980s, "a high (and increasing) proportion of North Korean high officials have been sons of high officials." Since the 1960s, Kim Il Sung had appointed family members to positions of power. By the early 1990s, a number of leading national offices were held by people in his family:
Kang Song-san (
Premier of the
Administrative Council and member of the WPK Secretariat),
Pak Song-chol (
Vice President),
Hwang Jang-yop and
Kim Chung-rin (members of the WPK Secretariat),
Kim Yong-sun (Head of the
WPK International Department and member of the WPK Secretariat),
Kang Hui-won (Secretary of the
WPK Pyongyang Municipal Committee and Deputy Premier of the Administrative Council),
Kim Tal-hyon (
Minister of Foreign Trade),
Kim Chan-ju (
Minister of Agriculture and Deputy Chairman of the Administrative Council) and
Yang Hyong-sop (President of the
Academy of Social Sciences and chairman of the
Supreme People's Assembly). These individuals were appointed solely because of their ties to the
Kim family, and presumably retain their positions as long as the Kim family controls the WPK and the country. The reason for Kim's support of nepotism (his own and that of the guerrilla faction) can be explained by the fact that he did not want the
party bureaucracy to threaten his—and his son's—rule as it did in other socialist states. It was first generally believed by foreign observers that Kim Il Sung was planning for his brother,
Kim Yong-ju, to succeed him. Kim Yong-ju's authority gradually increased, until he became co-chairman of the North-South Coordination Committee. From late 1972 to the
6th WPK Congress, Kim Yong-ju became an increasingly remote figure in the regime. At the 6th Congress, he lost his Politburo and Central Committee seats, and rumours that Kim Il Sung had begun grooming Kim Jong Il in 1966 were confirmed. From 1974 to the 6th Congress, Kim Jong Il (called the "Party centre" by North Korean media) was the second most powerful man in North Korea. His selection was criticized, with his father accused of creating a dynasty or turning North Korea into a
feudal state.
Kim Jong Il's rule (1980–2011) headed the WPK with no pretence of following the party rules, it was revitalized at the 3rd Conference at the end of his rule. With Kim Jong Il's official appointment as
heir apparent at the 6th Congress, power became more centralized in the Kim family. WPK officials began to speak openly about his succession, and beginning in 1981 he began to participate in (and lead) tours. In 1982, he was made a
Hero of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and wrote
On the Juche Idea. While foreign observers believed that Kim Jong Il's appointment would increase participation by the younger generation, in
On the Juche Idea he made it clear that his leadership would not mark the beginning of a new generation of leaders. The WPK could not address the crisis facing Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il's leadership at home and abroad, in part because of the
gerontocracy at the highest level of the WPK and the state. in Pyongyang, erected in 1995. With the death of
O Jin-u on 25 February 1995, Kim Jong Il became the sole remaining living member of the Presidium (the highest body of the WPK when the Politburo and the Central Committee are not in session). While no member list of the
WPK Central Military Commission (CMC, the highest party organ on military affairs) was published from 1993 to 2010, there were clear signs of movement in the military hierarchy during 1995. For the WPK's 50th anniversary, Kim Jong Il initiated a reshuffling of the CMC (and the military leadership in general) to appease the old guard and younger officials. He did not reshuffle the WPK Central Committee or the government, however, during the 1990s the changes to its membership were caused mostly by its members
dying of natural causes. Beginning in 1995, Kim Jong Il favoured the military over the WPK and the state. Problems began to mount as an
economic crisis, coupled with a
famine in which at least half a million people died, weakened his control of the country. Instead of recommending structural reforms, Kim began to criticize the WPK's lack of control over the economy, lambasting its local and provincial branches for their inability to implement central-level instructions. At a speech celebrating the 50th anniversary of
Kim Il Sung University, he said: "The reason why people are loyal to the instructions of the Central Committee is not because of party organizations and workers, but because of my authority." Kim Jong Il said that his father had told him to avoid economics, claiming that it was better left to experts. After this speech, the WPK's responsibility to control the economy was given to the Administrative Council (the central government). By late 1996, Kim Jong Il concluded that neither the WPK nor the central government could run the country, and began shifting control to the military. A constitutional amendment in 1998 redirected supreme state power in North Korea to the leadership of the military, rather than the WPK. On 8 July 1997, the three-year mourning period for Kim Il Sung ended. Later that year, on 8 October, Kim Jong Il was appointed to the newly established office of General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. There was considerable discussion by foreign experts about why Kim Jong Il was appointed General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, instead of succeeding his father as General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. In a clear breach of the WPK rules, Kim Jong Il was appointed WPK General Secretary in a joint announcement by the 6th Central Committee and the CMC rather than elected by a plenum of the Central Committee. Although it was believed that Kim Jong Il would call a congress shortly after his appointment (to elect a new WPK leadership), he did not. The WPK would not be revitalized organizationally until the 3rd Conference in 2010. Until then, Kim Jong Il ruled as an
autocrat; only in WPK institutions considered important were new members and leaders appointed to take the place of dying officials. The 10th
Supreme People's Assembly convened on 5 September 1998, amended the
North Korean constitution. The
amended constitution made the
National Defense Commission (NDC), previously responsible for supervising the military, the highest state organ. Although the new constitution gave the cabinet and the NDC more independence from WPK officials, it did not weaken the party. Kim Jong Il remained WPK General Secretary, controlling the
Organization and Guidance Department (OGD) and other institutions. While the central WPK leadership composition was not renewed in a single stroke until 2010, the WPK retained its important role as a
mass organization. On 26 June 2010, the Politburo announced that it was summoning delegates for the 3rd Conference, with its official explanation of the need to "reflect the demands of the revolutionary development of the Party, which is facing critical changes in bringing about the strong and prosperous state and Juche development." The conference met on 28 September, revising the party rules and electing (and dismissing) members of the Central Committee, the Secretariat, the Politburo, the Presidium and other bodies.
Kim Jong Un was confirmed as heir apparent; Vice Marshal
Ri Yong-ho and General
Kim Kyong-hui (Kim Jong Il's sister) were appointed to leading positions in the
Korean People's Army and the WPK to help him consolidate power. The following year, on 17 December 2011,
Kim Jong Il died.
Kim Jong Un's rule (2011–present) became the leader of the party following his father's death in 2011. After Kim Jong Il's death, the North Korean elite consolidated Kim Jong Un's position; he was declared in charge of the country when the official report of his father's death was published on 19 December. On 26 December 2011, the official newspaper
Rodong Sinmun hailed him as supreme leader of the party and the state. On 30 December a meeting of the Politburo officially appointed him
Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army, after he was nominated for the position by Kim Jong Il in October 2011 (the anniversary of Kim Jong Il's becoming general secretary). Despite the fact that he was not a Politburo member, Kim Jong Un was named to the unofficial position of the supreme leader of the Workers' Party of Korea. After celebrations for Kim Jong Il's 70th birth anniversary, the Politburo announced on 18 February the 4th Party Conference (which was scheduled for mid-April 2012, near the 100th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung) "to glorify the sacred revolutionary life and feats of Kim Jong Il for all ages and accomplish the
Juche cause, the
Songun revolutionary cause, rallied close around Kim Jong Un". Kim Jong Un was promoted to the rank of "
Marshal of the Republic" in July 2012. At the 4th Party Conference on 11 April, Kim Jong Il was declared Eternal General Secretary and Kim Jong Un was elected to the newly created post of First Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and the Presidium. The conference amended the party rules to say
Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism "the only guiding idea of the party". In December 2013, the party experienced its first open inner struggle in decades with the purge of
Jang Song-thaek. The party has seen somewhat of a revival under Kim Jong Un, with more frequent meetings. There have been two conferences, after a gap of 44 years, and a congress between 2010 and 2016. After staging a huge
military parade in celebration of the party's 70th
anniversary on 10 October 2015, the Politburo announced that its
7th Congress will be held on 6 May 2016 after a 36-year hiatus. The congress announced the first Five-Year Plan since the 1980s and gave Kim Jong Un the new title of chairman, which replaced the previous office of First Secretary. In January 2021, the
8th WPK Congress was convened, where Kim Jong Un was given the title of general secretary, replacing the title of chairman. The congress also marked the consolidation of WPK control over the army and a decrease in the army's power, with the number of military delegates in both the congress and the Politburo decreasing. Kim's sister,
Kim Yo Jong was appointed as a member of the Politburo. It was reported in June 2021 that the party set up the post of 'First Secretary', with speculation that
Jo Yong-won or
Kim Tok Hun, the
Premier of North Korea would fill the position. Starting from 2021, Kim Jong Un has started reviving communism and communist terminology within the WPK, with the ideology being again written to the party rules. ==Ideology==