NORTH KOREA
SEBASTIAN KARL DEVERA
OBJECTIVES
P o l i ti c a l h i s t o r y o f
North Korea.
K e y p o l i ti c a l l e a d e r s
of North Korea.
P o l i ti c a l s t r u c t u r e o f
North Korea.
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The history of North Korea began
at the end of World War II in 1945.
The surrender of Japan led to the
division of Korea at the 38th
parallel, with the Soviet Union
occupying the north, and the
United States occupying the south.
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In 1950 the Korean
War broke out. After
much destruction, the
war ended with a
stalemate.
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Kim Il-sung led North Korea until his death in 1994. He
developed a pervasive personality cult and steered the
country on an independent course in accordance with
the principle of Juche (self-reliance). However, with
natural disasters and the collapse of the Soviet Bloc in
1991, North Korea went into a severe economic crisis.
Kim Il-sung's son, Kim Jong-il, succeeded him, and was
in turn succeeded by his son, Kim Jong-un. Amid
international alarm, North Korea developed nuclear
missiles. In 2018, Kim Jong-un made a sudden peace
overture towards South Korea and the United States.
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KEY POLITICAL
LEADERS OF
NORTH KOREA.
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KIM IL-SUNG
the first leader of North Korea, which he ruled from the country's
establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts
of Premier from 1948 to 1972 and President from 1972 to 1994.
He was also the leader of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) from
1949 to 1994 (titled as Chairman from 1949 to 1966 and as
General Secretary after 1966). Coming to power after the end of
Japanese rule in 1945, he authorized the invasion of South Korea
in 1950, triggering an intervention in defense of South Korea by
the United Nations led by the United States. Following the
military stalemate in the Korean War, a ceasefire was signed on
27 July 1953. He was the third longest-serving non-royal head of
state/government in the 20th century, in office for more than 45
years.
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KIM JONG-IL
The second leader of North Korea. He ruled from the death of his
father, Kim Il-sung, the first leader of North Korea in 1994 until his
own death in 2011.
In the early 1980s, Kim had become the heir apparent for the
leadership of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and
assumed important posts in the party and army organs. Kim
succeeded his father and DPRK founder Kim Il-sung, following the
elder Kim's death in 1994. Kim was the General Secretary of the
Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), WPK Presidium, Chairman of the
National Defence Commission (NDC) of North Korea and the
Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army (KPA), the
fourth-largest standing army in the world.
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KIM JONG-UN
the second child of Kim Jong-il (1941–2011), who was North Korea's second leader
from 1994 to 2011, and Ko Yong-hui (1952–2004). He is the grandson of Kim Il-
sung, who was the founder and led North Korea from its establishment in 1948
until his death in 1994.
From late 2010, Kim Jong-un was viewed as heir apparent to the leadership of
North Korea, and following the elder Kim's death, North Korean state television
announced him as the "Great Successor". Kim holds the titles of Chairman of the
Workers' Party of Korea (as First Secretary between 2012 and 2016), Chairman of
the Central Military Commission, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission,
commander-in-chief (as SAC chairman), and member of the Presidium of the
Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea, the highest decision-making body in
North Korea. Kim was promoted to the rank of Marshal of North Korea in the
Korean People's Army on 18 July 2012, consolidating his position as the Supreme
Commander of the Armed Forces. North Korean state media often refers to him as
Marshal Kim Jong-un, "the Marshal" or "Dear Respected."
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POLITICAL
STRUCTURE OF
NORTH KOREA.
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According to the Constitution of North Korea, the
country is a democratic republic and the Supreme
People's Assembly (SPA) and Provincial People's
Assemblies (PPA) are elected by direct universal
suffrage and secret ballot. Suffrage is guaranteed
to all citizens aged 17 and over. In reality, elections
in North Korea are for show and feature single-
candidate races only. Those who want to vote
against the sole candidate on the ballot must go to
a special booth - in the presence of an electoral
official - to cross out the candidate's name before
dropping it into the ballot box—an act which,
according to many North Korean defectors, is far
too risky to even contemplate.
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THANK YOU
M AT S A L A M A L A M A L AY K U M !
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