Vice President of the State Affairs Commission

Vice President of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
조선민주주의인민공화국 국무위원회 부위원장
Emblem of North Korea
Flag of North Korea
Incumbent
Jo Yong-won (as first vice president)
Pak Thae-song (as vice president)
since 22 March 2026
Member ofState Affairs Commission
ResidenceGovernment Complex No. 1, 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 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.

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

First Vice President

National Defence Commission

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Party Chairman SPA
Took office Left office
1 Kim Jong Il
김정일
(1941–2011)
26 May
1990
9 April
1993
Workers' Party of Korea Kim Il Sung 9th
2 O Jin-u
오진우
(1917–1995)
9 April
1993
25 February
1995
Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong Il
Vacant
(25 February 1995 – 5 September 1998)
3 Jo Myong-rok
조명록
(1928–2010)
[8][9][10][11]
5 September
1998
6 November
2010
Workers' Party of Korea 10th
11th
12th
Vacant
(6 November 2010 – 13 April 2012)

State Affairs Commission

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Party President SPA
Took office Left office
4 Choe Ryong-hae
최룡해
(born 1950)
[12]
11 April
2019
22 March
2026
Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong Un 14th
5 Jo Yong-won
조용원
(born 1957)
[13]
22 March
2026
Incumbent Workers' Party of Korea 15th

Vice President

National Defence Commission

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Party Chairman SPA
Took office Left office
1 Choe Hyon
최현
(1907–1982)
28 December
1972
17 December
1977
Workers' Party of Korea Kim Il Sung 5th
2 O Jin-u
오진우
(1917–1995)
28 December
1972
17 December
1977
Workers' Party of Korea
3 O Paek-ryong
오백룡
(1913–1984)
28 December
1972
17 December
1977
Workers' Party of Korea
(1) Choe Hyon
최현
(1907–1982)
17 December
1977
5 April
1982
Workers' Party of Korea Kim Il Sung 6th
(2) O Jin-u
오진우
(1917–1995)
17 December
1977
5 April
1982
Workers' Party of Korea
(3) O Paek-ryong
오백룡
(1913–1984)
17 December
1977
5 April
1982
Workers' Party of Korea
(1) Choe Hyon
최현
(1907–1982)
5 April
1982
10 April
1982
Workers' Party of Korea Kim Il Sung 7th
(2) O Jin-u
오진우
(1917–1995)
5 April
1982
30 December
1986
Workers' Party of Korea
(3) O Paek-ryong
오백룡
(1913–1984)
5 April
1982
6 April
1984
Workers' Party of Korea
(2) O Jin-u
오진우
(1917–1995)
30 December
1986
26 May
1990
Workers' Party of Korea Kim Il Sung 8th
(2) O Jin-u
오진우
(1917–1995)
26 May
1990
9 April
1993
Workers' Party of Korea Kim Il Sung
(until 1993)
Kim Jong Il
(from 1993)
9th
4 Choe Kwang
최광
(1918–1997)
26 May
1990
21 February
1997
Workers' Party of Korea
None
(21 February 1997 – 5 September 1998)
5 Kim Il-chol
김일철
(1933–2023)
[8]
5 September
1998
3 September
2003
Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong Il 10th
6 Ri Yong-mu
리용무
(1925–2022)
[8]
5 September
1998
3 September
2003
Workers' Party of Korea
7 Yon Hyong-muk
연형묵
(1931–2005)
[9][14]
3 September
2003
22 October
2005
Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong Il 11th
(6) Ri Yong-mu
리용무
(1925–2022)
[9]
3 September
2003
9 April
2009
Workers' Party of Korea
8 Kim Yong-chun
김영춘
(1936–2018)
[15]
11 April
2007
9 April
2009
Workers' Party of Korea
9 O Kuk-ryol
오극렬
(1930–2023)
[16]
19 February
2009
9 April
2009
Workers' Party of Korea
(8) Kim Yong-chun
김영춘
(1936–2018)
[10]
9 April
2009
9 April
2014
Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong Il
(until 2011)
Vacant
(2011–2012)
Kim Jong Un
(from 2012)
12th
(6) Ri Yong-mu
리용무
(1925–2022)
[10]
9 April
2009
9 April
2014
Workers' Party of Korea
(9) O Kuk-ryol
오극렬
(1930–2023)
[10]
9 April
2009
9 April
2014
Workers' Party of Korea
10 Jang Song-thaek
장성택
(1946–2013)
[17][18]
7 June
2010
8 December
2013
Workers' Party of Korea
11 Choe Ryong-hae
최룡해
(born 1950)
[19][20]
9 April
2014
25 September
2014
Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong Un 13th
(6) Ri Yong-mu
리용무
(1925–2022)
[19]
9 April
2014
29 June
2016
Workers' Party of Korea
(9) O Kuk-ryol
오극렬
(1930–2023)
[19]
9 April
2014
29 June
2016
Workers' Party of Korea
12 Hwang Pyong-so
황병서
(born 1949)
[20]
25 September
2014
29 June
2016
Workers' Party of Korea

State Affairs Commission

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Party President SPA
Took office Left office
(11) Choe Ryong-hae
최룡해
(born 1950)
[21]
29 June
2016
11 April
2019
Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong Un 13th
(12) Hwang Pyong-so
황병서
(born 1949)
[21][22]
29 June
2016
11 April
2018
Workers' Party of Korea
13 Pak Pong-ju
박봉주
(born 1939)
[21]
29 June
2016
11 April
2019
Workers' Party of Korea
(13) Pak Pong-ju
박봉주
(born 1939)
[12][23]
11 April
2019
29 September
2021
Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong Un 14th
14 Kim Tok-hun
김덕훈
(born 1961)
[24]
29 September
2021
22 March
2026
Workers' Party of Korea
15 Pak Thae-song
박태성
(born 1955)
[13]
22 March
2026
Incumbent Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong Un 15th

References

  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.
  8. ^ a b c "NDC vice-chairmen and members elected". KCNA Watch. 5 September 1998.
  9. ^ a b c "DPRK National Defence Commission Elected". KCNA Watch. 4 September 2003.
  10. ^ a b c d "First Session of 12th SPA of DPRK Held". KCNA Watch. 9 April 2009.
  11. ^ "Jo Myong Rok Dies". KCNA Watch. 6 November 2010.
  12. ^ a b "First Session of 14th SPA Held". KCNA Watch. 12 April 2019.
  13. ^ a b "State Affairs Commission Elected at First Session of 15th SPA of DPRK". KCNA Watch. 23 March 2026.
  14. ^ "Yon Hyong Muk Dies". KCNA Watch. 24 October 2005.
  15. ^ "5th Session of 11th SPA of DPRK Held". KCNA Watch. 12 April 2007.
  16. ^ "Vice-Chairman of NDC of DPRK Appointed". KCNA Watch. 20 February 2009.
  17. ^ "Jang Song Thaek Elected NDC Vice-Chairman". KCNA Watch. 7 June 2010.
  18. ^ "Report on Enlarged Meeting of Political Bureau of Central Committee of WPK". KCNA Watch. 9 December 2013.
  19. ^ a b c "DPRK National Defence Commission Elected at SPA Session". KCNA Watch. 9 April 2014.
  20. ^ a b "2nd Session of 13th Supreme People's Assembly of DPRK Held". KCNA Watch. 25 September 2014.
  21. ^ a b c "Fourth Session of 13th SPA Held in DPRK in Presence of Kim Jong Un". KCNA Watch. 29 June 2016.
  22. ^ "Sixth Session of 13th SPA Held". KCNA Watch. 12 April 2018.
  23. ^ "Second-day Sitting of 5th Session of 14th SPA of DPRK Held". KCNA Watch. 30 September 2021.
  24. ^ "At 5th Session of 14th Supreme People's Assembly of DPRK". KCNA Watch. 30 September 2021.