Vice President of the State Affairs Commission

The vice presidents of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (Korean조선민주주의인민공화국 국무위원회 부위원장), previously titled as vice chairmen of the State Affairs Commission, are members of the State Affairs Commission under the President of the State Affairs of North Korea and above the commission's members.

Vice Presidents of State and Vice President of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
조선민주주의인민공화국 국무위원회 부위원장
Incumbent
Choe Ryong-hae (as first vice president)
Kim Tok-hun (as vice president)
since 11 April 2019 (first vice president)
and 29 September 2019 (vice president)
Member ofState Affairs Commission
ResidenceForbidden City, Pyongyang
NominatorPresident of the State Affairs of North Korea
AppointerSupreme People's Assembly
Term lengthFive years, renewable
Constituting instrumentConstitution of North Korea
PrecursorVice Chairman of the National Defence Commission
Formation28 December 1972

The Constitution of North Korea states that the State Affairs Commission includes a first vice president (Korean: 제1부위원장) and vice presidents.[1] The vice presidents are nominated by the president of the State Affairs and elected by the Supreme People's Assembly for a term that coincides with the assembly's term.[2][3] The vice presidents of the State Affairs Commission may carry out tasks authorized by the president of the State Affairs.

The post was first created under the title of vice chairman of the National Defence Commission through the 1972 North Korean constitution.[4] The position of first vice chairman of the National Defence Commission was created in 1992 and abolished in 2012.[5] With the abolition of the National Defence Commission and its replacement with the State Affairs Commission in 2016, the current position was created under its initial title as vice chairman of the State Affairs Commission. The position of first vice chairman of the State Affairs Commission was unofficially created on 11 April 2019 and was made official through a constitutional amendment on 29 August of the same year.[6] As the position of chairman of the State Affairs Commission began to be referred to as president of the State Affairs in February 2021, the positions of first vice chairman and vice chairman began to be referred to as first vice president and vice president respectively.[7]

The incumbent first vice president of the State Affairs Commission is Choe Ryong-hae, who was elected on 11 April 2019 after serving as vice president since 29 June 2016. The incumbent vice president of the State Affairs Commission is Kim Tok-hun, who was elected on 29 September 2019.

List of office holders

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First Vice President

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First Vice Chairman of the National Defence Commission
국방위원회 제1부위원장
First Vice Chairman Political party Term start Term end SPA Chairman
  Kim Jong Il
김정일
(1941–2011)
Workers' Party of Korea 9 April 1992 9 April 1993 9th Kim Il Sung
  O Jin-u
오진우
(1917–1995)
Workers' Party of Korea 9 April 1993 25 February 1995 Kim Jong Il
(until 2011)
Vacant
(25 February 1995 – 5 September 1998)
  Jo Myong-rok
조명록
(1928–2010)
Workers' Party of Korea 5 September 1998 6 November 2010 10th
11th
12th
Vacant
(6 November 2010 – 13 April 2012)
First Vice President of the State Affairs Commission
국무위원회 제1부위원장
First Vice President Political party Term start Term end SPA President
  Choe Ryong-hae
최룡해
(born 1950)
Workers' Party of Korea 11 April 2019 Incumbent 14th Kim Jong Un

Vice President

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Vice Chairman of the National Defence Commission
국방위원회 부위원장
Vice Chairman Political party Term start Term end SPA Chairman
  Choe Hyon
최현
(1907–1982)
Workers' Party of Korea 28 December 1972 10 April 1982 5th
6th
7th
Kim Il Sung
  O Jin-u
오진우
(1917–1995)
Workers' Party of Korea 28 December 1972 9 April 1993 5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
Kim Il Sung
  O Paek-ryong
오백룡
(1913–1984)
Workers' Party of Korea 28 December 1972 6 April 1984 5th
6th
7th
Kim Il Sung
Choe Kwang
최광
(1918–1997)
Workers' Party of Korea 26 May 1990 21 February 1997 9th Kim Il Sung
(until 1993)
Kim Jong Il
(from 1993)
  Kim Il-chol
김일철
(1933–2023)
Workers' Party of Korea 5 September 1998 13 May 2010 10th
11th
12th
Kim Jong Il
Ri Yong-mu
리용무
(1925–2022)
Workers' Party of Korea 5 September 1998 29 June 2016 10th
11th
12th
13th
Kim Jong Il
(until 2011)
Kim Jong Un
(from 2012)
Yon Hyong-muk
연형묵
(1931–2005)
Workers' Party of Korea 3 September 2003 22 October 2005 11th Kim Jong Il
Kim Yong-chun
김영춘
(1936–2018)
Workers' Party of Korea 11 April 2007 13 April 2014 11th
12th
Kim Jong Il
(until 2011)
Kim Jong Un
(from 2012)
O Kuk-ryol
오극렬
(1930–2023)
Workers' Party of Korea 19 February 2009 29 June 2016 10th
11th
12th
13th
Kim Jong Il
(until 2011)
Kim Jong Un
(from 2012)
Jang Song-thaek
장성택
(1946–2013)
Workers' Party of Korea 7 June 2010 8 December 2013 12th Kim Jong Il
(until 2011)
Kim Jong Un
(from 2012)
  Choe Ryong-hae
최룡해
(born 1950)
Workers' Party of Korea 9 April 2014 25 September 2014 13th Kim Jong Un
  Hwang Pyong-so
황병서
(Born 1949)
Workers' Party of Korea 25 September 2014 29 June 2016 13th Kim Jong Un
Vice President of the State Affairs Commission
국무위원회 부위원장
Vice President Political party Term start Term end SPA President
  Choe Ryong-hae
최룡해
(born 1950)
Workers' Party of Korea 29 June 2016 11 April 2019 13th Kim Jong Un
  Hwang Pyong-so
황병서
(Born 1949)
Workers' Party of Korea 29 June 2016 11 April 2018 13th Kim Jong Un
  Pak Pong-ju
박봉주
(born 1939)
Workers' Party of Korea 29 June 2016 29 September 2021 13th
14th
Kim Jong Un
  Kim Tok-hun
김덕훈
(born 1961)
Workers' Party of Korea 29 September 2019 Incumbent 14th Kim Jong Un

References

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  1. ^ Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Article 108
  2. ^ Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Article 91
  3. ^ Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Article 109
  4. ^ Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (1972), Article 76
  5. ^ Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (1992), Article 91
  6. ^ "First Session of 14th SPA Held". KCNA Watch. 12 April 2019.
  7. ^ Koh, Byung-joon (17 February 2021). "N.K. state media use 'president' as new English title for leader Kim". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 17 February 2021.