Prime Ministers And Premiers Of North Korea

North Korea is a single-party state led by a dictatorial figure known as the "Supreme Leader". Its capital is in Pyongyang which is also the largest city and the official language in the country is Korean. The country is led by a supreme leader from the Kim Family. The country has the largest military personnel in the world with more than 9.5 million persons in the ministry. Apart from the supreme leader, the country has also a prime minister who is in charge of the administration council. However, the Central People’s Committee, which is chaired by the President, has most of the governing powers. In this article, we will take a look at some of the notable people who occupied the post of the Prime Minister of North Korea.

Prime Ministers of North Korea

Kim II-Sung

Kim II-Sung was born in 1912 and attended a military school. He was interested in communist ideologies and joined an anti-Japanese guerrilla group. At the age of 24, he was appointed to the post of the commander of the 6th Division and had hundreds of men under his control. Japan put him on their wanted list, and he escaped into the Soviet Union. He was made a major in the Red Army during World War II. The Soviet Union appointed him as the chair of the Communist party in the northern branch, and this is where his political life began. After the Korea war, he made himself the leader of North Korea. He was the premier of the country until 1972 where he became the president after the promulgation of the new constitution.

Kang Song-san

Kang Song-san was born in 1931 in North Hamgyong and died in 2007. He held two bachelor's degrees from different universities. He has one from Kin-II Sing Sung University and the other from Moscow State University in the Soviet Union. He got into politics in 1955 when he became an instructor in the central committee of the Workers Party of Korea (WPK). He was appointed the prime minister of the country in 1984. 

Pak Pong-Ju

Pak Pong-Ju started his working career in the private sector as a manager in a food factory at the age of 22. He later joined politics in 1980 when he became an alternate member of the Korean worker's party. His first term in the office of the prime minister came 2003 and lasted until 2007. 

Choe Yong-rim

Choe Yong is an electrical engineer who studied at the University of Moscow. He joined the army in 1950 and at one time served as an instructor. Choe ascended to the position of the prime minister in 2010. He came into power at a time when the country was experiencing an acute currency failure and economic drop. During his reign, he was instrumental in bringing the country back to its feet. He was replaced in 2013 by Pak Pong-Ju. This act was an attempt by the assembly to grow the economy as well as the military simultaneously.

Functions of the North Korean Prime Minister

The primary role of the premier is to oversee the North Korean Cabinet. Together with the cabinet, they are responsible for the implementation of the country’s economic policies as guided by the Worker’s Party.