The chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (), formerly known as the president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is the presiding officer of the

Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA; ) is the unicameral legislature of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), commonly known as North Korea. It consists of one deputy from each of the DPRK's 687 constituencies, elected to five-year t ...

, which is the highest institution of state power in

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...

when the

Supreme People's Assembly The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA; ) is the unicameral legislature of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), commonly known as North Korea. It consists of one deputy from each of the DPRK's 687 constituencies, elected to five-year ...

is not in session.Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Article 117The current chairman of the Standing Committee is

Choe Ryong-hae Choe Ryong-hae (born 15 January 1950) is a North Korean politician and military officer who currently serves as Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly and First Vice President of the State Affairs Commission, holding ...

, who was elected on 11 April 2019.

History

The 1948 Constitution created the position of Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly. The chairman presided over the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly, which was given the power to ratify or annul treaties with foreign countries, appoint or recall ambassadors to foreign countries and receive letters of credentials or recall of foreign diplomatic representatives. This made the chairman of the SPA Standing Committee the ''de jure'' head of state of North Korea. Nominally, the Chairman of the SPA Standing Committee held the highest state post followed by the

premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of governm ...

Kim Il-sung Kim Il-sung (; , ; born Kim Song-ju, ; 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a North Korean politician and the founder of North Korea, which he ruled from the country's establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of ...

. The 1972 Constitution created the position of

President of North Korea The president of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea () was the head of state of North Korea from 1972 to 1998. The position was only occupied by Kim Il-sung from 1972 until his death in 1994. Aside from being president, Kim was also the ...

who is tasked with being the country's head of state.Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (1972), Article 89 The Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly (under the new Korean title of 최고인민회의 상설회의 의장) was removed of its power to represent the state and was limited to doing legislative work as the concurrent

chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly The Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly () is the presiding officer of the Supreme People's Assembly, the legislature of North Korea.Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Article 94 The Supreme People's Asse ...

.Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (1972), Articles 86 and 87 The 1998 revision of the 1972 Constitution created the position under the new English translation of President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly with its powers as head of state restored. However, the 1972 Constitution was revised in April 2019 to designate the then-

Chairman of the State Affairs Commission The President of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea () is the head of state of North Korea.Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Article 100 The president chairs the State Af ...

as the head of state, with the powers reserved to the head of state being transferred to the SAC chairman in August of the same year. In February 2022, the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission began to be referred in English as the President of the State Affairs. This led to the President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly being referred in English to its previous title of Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly.

Duties and responsibilities

According to the North Korean constitution, the chairman presides the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly and represents the state in receiving the letters of credentials and recall of foreign diplomatic representatives.

List of office holders

References

Citations

Sources

; Works cited * {{Supreme People's Assembly Supreme People's Assembly Parliamentary titles