General Secretary and Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea

The General Secretary and Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea is a member of the Secretariat of the Workers' Party of Korea, which is headed by a General Secretary (the name of this office has changed throughout North Korean history).

General Secretaries and forerunners

Title	Officeholder	Hangul	Birth	Death	Took office	Left office	Duration
First Secretary of the North Korean Branch Bureau	Kim Yong-bom	김용범	1902	1947	13 October 1945	18 December 1946	1 year and 66 days
First Secretary of the North Korean Branch Bureau	Kim Il Sung	김일성	1912	1994	18 December 1946	28 August 1946	2 years and 194 days
First Secretary of the Central Committee	Ho Ka-i	허가이	1900	1953	24 June 1949	2 July 1953	4 years and 8 days
Second Secretary of the Central Committee	Yi Sung-yop	이성엽	1905	1954	24 June 1949	6 August 1953	4 years and 43 days
Third Secretary of the Central Committee	Kim Sam-yong	김삼룡	1908	1950	24 June 1949	27 March 1950	276 days
General Secretary of the Central Committee	Kim Il Sung	김일성	1912	1994	12 October 1966	8 July 1994	27 years and 269 days
General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea	Kim Jong Il	김정일	1941	2011	8 October 1997	17 December 2011	14 years and 70 days
First Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea	Kim Jong Un	김정은	1983	Alive	11 April 2012	9 May 2016	4 years and 28 days
General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea	Kim Jong Un	김정은	1983	Alive	10 January 2021	Incumbent	3 years and 284 days
References: [1][2][3][4]

Secretaries

Rank [note 1]	Name	Hangul	Birth	Death	Took office	Left office	Duration
9	An Seug-tak	안수탁	?	?	17 June 1983	?	?
10	Chae Hi-chong	채희총	?	?	17 June 1983	?	?
3	Choe Ryong-hae	최룡해	1950	Alive	28 September 2010	9 May 2016	5 years and 224 days
7	Choe Sang-gon	최상건	1953	Alive	10 January 2021	Incumbent	3 years and 284 days
2	Choe Thae-bok	김기남	1930	Alive	27 December 1986	9 May 2016	29 years and 134 days
1	Choe Yong-gon	최용건	1900	1976	12 October 1966	19 September 1976	9 years and 343 days
—	Chon Pyong-ho	전병호	1926	2014	27 December 1986	28 September 2010	23 years and 275 days
7	Han Ik-su	한익수	1912	1978	13 November 1970	5 September 1978	7 years and 296 days
—	Han Son-yong	한성룡	1923	2009	12 December 1988	2009	38 years and 49 days
7	Ho Bong-hak	허봉학	?	?	12 October 1966	16 November 1968	2 years and 35 days
—	Ho Dam	허담	1929	1991	1 December 1983	11 May 1991	7 years and 161 days
7	Ho Jong-suk	허정숙	1908	1991	17 June 1983	5 June 1991	?
7	Hong Si-hak	홍시학	?	?	14 October 1980	1 December 1983	3 years and 48 days
10	Hong Sok-hyong	홍석형	1936	Alive	28 September 2010	June 2011	246 days
6	Hwang Jang-yop	황장엽	1923	2010	12 December 1979	24 February 1997	17 years and 74 days
8	Hyon Mu-gwang	현무광	1913	1992	13 November 1970	14 October 1980	9 years and 336 days
5	Hyon Mu-kwang	현무광	?	?	17 June 1983	?	?
1	Jo Yong-won	조용원	?	Alive	10 January 2021	Incumbent	3 years and 284 days
4	Jong Sang-hak	정상학	?	Alive	10 January 2021	Incumbent	3 years and 284 days
—	Kang Song-san	강성산	1931	1997	27 December 1986	?
2	Kim Chung-nin	김중린	1923	2010	13 November 1970	10 December 1984	14 years and 27 days
					9 January 1990	28 April 2010	20 years and 109 days
4	Kim Hwan	김영남	?	?	14 October 1980	17 June 1983	2 years and 246 days
2	Kim Il	김일	1910	1984	12 October 1966	14 October 1980	14 years and 2 days
1	Kim Jong Il	김정일	1942	2011	17 September 1973	8 October 1997	26 years and 329 days
6	Kim Jung-rin	김중린	1923	2010	30 June 1969	14 October 1980	11 years and 106 days
1	Kim Ki-nam	김기남	1929	2024	October 2007	9 May 2016	8 years and 221 days
—	Kim Kyong-hui	김경희	1946	Alive	11 April 2012	9 May 2016	4 years and 28 days
5	Kim Kwang-hyop	김광협	1915	1970	12 October 1966	July 1970	3 years and 262 days
8	Kim Phyong-hae	김평해	1941	Alive	28 September 2010	9 May 2016	5 years and 224 days
10	Kim To-man	김토만	?	1967	12 October 1966	8 April 1967	2 years and 35 days
5	Kim Tong-gyu	김동규	1915	?	13 November 1970	28 November 1978	8 years and 15 days
6	Kim Tu-il	김두일	?	Alive	10 January 2021	Incumbent	3 years and 284 days
7	Kim Yang-gon	김양건	1942	2015	28 September 2010	29 December 2015	5 years and 92 days
6	Kim Yong-il	김영일	1944	Alive	28 September 2010	9 May 2016	5 years and 224 days
8	Kim Yong-ju	김영주	1920	Alive	12 October 1966	11–13 February 1974	7 years and 124 days
2	Kim Yong-nam	김영남	1928	Alive	14 October 1980	17 June 1983	2 years and 246 days
—	Kim Yong-sun	김용순	1934	2003	23 May 1990	26 October 2003	13 years and 156 days
—	Kwak Pom-gi	곽범기	1939	Alive	11 April 2012	9 May 2016	4 years and 28 days
—	Kye Ung-tae	김영남	1920	2006	8 February 1986	23 November 2006	20 years and 288 days
4	Mun Kyong-dok	문경덕	1957	Alive	28 September 2010	9 May 2016	5 years and 224 days
4	O Jin-u	오진우	1917	1995	13 November 1970	14 October 1980	9 years and 336 days
—	O Su-yong	오수용	1944	Alive	11 February 2021	Incumbent	3 years and 252 days
3	Pak Kum-chol	박금철	1911	1967	12 October 1966	8 April 1967	178 days
—	Pak Nam-gi	박남기	1934	2010	12 December 1988	9 January 2010	21 years and 28 days
9	Pak Su-dong	박수동	?	?	14 October 1980	31 August 1982	1 year and 321 days
2	Pak Thae-song	박태성	1955	Alive	10 January 2021	Incumbent	3 years and 284 days
5	Pak To-chun	박도춘	1944	Alive	28 September 2010	9 May 2016	5 years and 224 days
9	Pak Yong-guk	박용국	?	?	12 October 1966	16 November 1968	2 years and 35 days
5	Ri Il-hwan	리일환	1960	Alive	10 January 2021	Incumbent	3 years and 284 days
3	Ri Pyong-chol	리병철	1948	Alive	10 January 2021	Incumbent	3 years and 284 days
6	Sok San	속산	?	?	12 October 1966	13 November 1970	4 years and 32 days
—	So Kwan-hui	서관희	1926	1997	6 October 1981	21 September 1997	15 years and 350 days
8	Son Kwan-hi	손관희	?	?	17 June 1983	?	?
9	Thae Jong-su	태종수	1936	Alive	28 September 2010	9 May 2016	5 years and 224 days
9	Yang Hyon-sop	양형섭	1925	Alive	30 June 1969	14 October 1980	11 years and 106 days
4	Yi Hyo-sun	이효선	?	1967	12 October 1966	8 April 1967	178 days
—	Yi Kuk-chin	이국진	?	?	30 June 1969	13 November 1970	1 year and 136 days
6	Yun Ki-bok	윤기복	?	?	14 October 1980	17 June 1983	2 years and 246 days
					9 January 1990	?	?
References: [2][3][4]

Noter

1. Highest rank the individualattained during tenure.
   The rank does not include the head secretary. For instance, in the 6th Secretariat Kim Jong-il is ranked 1 in this list. Some other lists might rank him as 2 since Kim Il-sung served as General Secretary of the Central Committee.

References

Footnotes

1. Suh 1981, p. 321.
2. Suh 1981, p. 328.
3. Suh 1981, p. 329.
4. Suh 1981, p. 332.

Bibliography

Books:

• Gause, Ken (2013). "The Role and Influence of the Party Apparatus". In Park, Kyung-ae; Snyder, Scott (eds.). North Korea in Transition: Politics, Economy, and Society. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 19–46. ISBN 978-1442218123.
• Suh, Dae-sook (1981). Korean Communism 1945–1980: A Reference Guide to the Political System (1st ed.). University Press of Hawaii. ISBN 0-8248-0740-5.
• Yonguso, Pyonghwa Tongil (1997). Korea and the World. University of California. Research Center for Peace and Unification.

Journal articles:

• Chong-sik Lee (1963). "Politics in North Korea: Pre-Korean War Stage". The China Quarterly (14). Cambridge University Press on behalf of the School of Oriental and African Studies: 3–16. JSTOR 651339.