Chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea

The Chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea is the supreme commander of the armed forces of North Korea and the most powerful person in the government. According to law, the Chairman has the "highest administrative authority" of any official, and the post was confirmed on 5 September 1998 as the "highest office of state." The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) elects the Chairman for a period of five years. The election is held immediately subsequent to the election of a new People's Assembly.

The most recent Chairman was Kim Jong-il, first elected on 9 April 1993 in an election where he ran unopposed. He was since re-elected in 1998, 2003 and 2009. He died on 17 December 2011.

On 30 December 2011 the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea formally appointed Kim Jong-un as the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army.

Authority, legal and constitutional position

There is debate as to whether "highest office of state" should be considered equivalent to head of state. Kim Il-sung, the first leader of North Korea, was declared Eternal President but it appears that the office is a facet of his extensive cult of personality. The Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, who handles the diplomatic functions that a head of state might normally undertake, is also sometimes considered the head of state. North Korea's constitutional arrangements are often unclear to outside observers and it is difficult to determine the Chairman's official standing. However, the Chairman is both in law and in practice the most powerful member of the North Korean government.

Chairman

See also

• National Defence Commission of North Korea