6th Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea

The 6th Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) (6차 조선로동당 정치국), officially the Political Bureau of the 6th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, was elected by the 1st Plenary Session of the 6th Central Committee in the immediate aftermath of the 6th WPK Congress.

Members

1st Plenary Session

Symbol	Meaning
‡	Members of the Presidium of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea

#	Full members	Alternate members
1.	‡Kim Il Sung	Ho Dam
2.	‡Kim Il	Yun Gi-bok
3.	‡O Jin-u	Choe Kwang
4.	‡Kim Jong Il	Choe Se-ung
5.	‡Ri Jong-ok	Choe Jae-u
6.	Pak Song-chol	Kong Jin-Tae
7.	Choe Hyon	Chong Jun-gi
8.	Lim Chum-chu	Kim Chol-man
9.	So Chol	Chong Gyong-hi
10.	Oh Baek-ryong	Choe Yong-rim
11.	Kim Jung-rin	So Yun-sok
12.	Kim Yong-nam	Ri Kun-mo
13.	Chon Mun-sop	Hyon Mu-gwang
14.	Kim Hwan	Kim Gang-hwan
15.	Yon Hyong-muk	Lee Son-sil
16.	Oh Guk-ryol
17.	Kye Ung-thae
18.	Kang Song-san
19.	Paek Hak-rim

September 1998–September 2010

Politburo makeup (September 1998–September 2010)
Rank	Name	Member since	Party position(s)	State position(s)	Notes
1	Kim Jong Il	February 1974	General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea Chairman of the Central Military Commission Politburo Presidium Member Head of the Organization and Guidance Department	Chairman of the National Defence Commission Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army
2	Li Jong-ok	September 1961		Honorary Vice President of the SPA Presidium	Died, 23 September 1999.
3	Jon Mun-sop	October 1980		Honorary Vice President of the SPA Presidium	Died, 29 December 1998.
4	Kim Yong-ju	December 1993		Honorary Vice President of the SPA Presidium
5	Kim Yong-nam	August 1978		President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly
6	Kye Ung-thae	October 1980	Secretary for National Security		Died, 23 November 2006.
7	Jon Pyong-ho	November 1988	Secretary for Military Industry	Member of the National Defence Commission
8	Kim Chol-man	May 1990	Member of the Central Military Commission	Member of the National Defence Commission Chairman of the Second Economic Committee	Alternate Member
9	Choe Yong-rim	May 1990	Chief Secretary of the WPK Pyongyang Committee (2009–2010)	Secretary General of the SPA Presidium (2006–2009) Chief Public Prosecutor (1998–2003)	Alternate Member
10	Choe Thae-bok	May 1990	Secretary for Education and Science Education Affairs	Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly	Alternate Member
11	Yang Hyong-sop	December 1993		Vice President of the SPA Presidium	Alternate Member
12	Hong Sok-hyong	December 1993	Chief Secretary of the WPK North Hamgyong Committee		Alternate Member

September 2010–April 2012

Politburo makeup (September 2010–April 2012)
Rank	Name	Member since	Party position(s)	State position(s)	Notes
1	Kim Jong Il	February 1974	General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea Chairman of the Central Military Commission Politburo Presidium Member Head of the Organization and Guidance Department	Chairman of the National Defence Commission Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army	Died, 17 December 2011.
2	Kim Yong-nam	August 1978	Politburo Presidium Member	President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly
3	Choe Yong-rim	May 1990	Politburo Presidium Member	Premier of North Korea
4	Jo Myong-rok	September 2010	Politburo Presidium Member Director of the KPA General Political Bureau	First Vice Chairman of the National Defence Commission	Died, 6 November 2010.
5	Ri Yong-ho	September 2010	Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Politburo Presidium Member	Chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army
6	Kim Yong-chun	September 2010		Vice Chairman of the National Defence Commission Minister of the People's Armed Forces
7	Jon Pyong-ho	November 1988	Secretary of the WPK Cabinet Committee	Director of the Cabinet Political Bureau Member of the National Defence Commission
8	Kim Kuk-thae	September 2010	Chairman of the Central Control Commission
9	Kim Ki-nam	September 2010	Secretary for Propaganda and Party History Director of the Central Propaganda and Agitation Department	Vice Chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland
10	Choe Thae-bok	May 1990	Secretary for Education and Science Affairs	Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly
11	Yang Hyong-sop	December 1993		Vice President of the SPA Presidium Vice Chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland
12	Kang Sok-ju	September 2010		Vice Premier
13	Pyon Yong-rip	September 2010		Secretary General of the SPA Presidium
14	Ri Yong-mu	September 2010		Vice Chairman of the National Defence Commission
15	Chu Sang-song	September 2010		Member of the National Defence Commission Minister of People's Security	Dismissed, March 2011.
16	Hong Sok-hyong	September 2010	Secretary for Planning Director of the Central Finance and Planning Department		Dismissed, June 2011.
17	Kim Kyong-hui	September 2010	Director of the Light Industry Department
18	Kim Yang-gon	September 2010	Secretary for United Front Work Director of the Central United Front Work Department	Chairman of the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee	Alternate Member
19	Kim Yong-il	September 2010	Secretary for International Relations Director of the Central International Relations Department		Alternate Member
20	Pak To-chun	September 2010	Secretary for Military Industry		Alternate Member
21	Jang Sung-taek	September 2010	Director of the Central Administration Department	Vice Chairman of the National Defence Commission	Alternate Member
22	Ju Kyu-chang	September 2010	Director of the Central Machine-Building Department		Alternate Member
23	Ri Thae-nam	September 2010		Vice Premier	Alternate Member
24	Kim Rak-hui	September 2010		Vice Premier	Alternate Member
25	Thae Jong-su	September 2010	Director of the Central General Affairs Department		Alternate Member
26	Kim Phyong-hae	September 2010	Director of the Central Cadres Department		Alternate Member
27	U Tong-chuk	September 2010		Member of the National Defence Commission First Vice Minister of State Security	Alternate Member
28	Kim Jong-gak	September 2010	First Vice Director of the KPA General Political Bureau		Alternate Member
29	Pak Jong-sun	September 2010	First Deputy Head of the Organization and Guidance Department		Alternate Member Died, 22 January 2011.
30	Kim Chang-sop	September 2010	Director of the Political Bureau of the Ministry of State Security		Alternate Member
31	Mun Kyong-dok	September 2010	Chief Secretary of the WPK Pyongyang Committee		Alternate Member

April 2012–February 2015

Politburo makeup (April 2012–February 2015)
Rank	Name	Member since	Party position(s)	State position(s)	Notes
1	Kim Jong Un	April 2012	First Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea Chairman of the Central Military Commission Politburo Presidium Member	First Chairman of the National Defence Commission Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army
2	Kim Yong-nam	August 1978	Politburo Presidium Member	President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly
3	Choe Yong-rim	May 1990	Politburo Presidium Member	Premier of North Korea	Demoted, March 2013.
3*	Pak Pong-ju	March 2013		Premier of North Korea	Demoted, March 2013.
4	Choe Ryong-hae	April 2012	Politburo Presidium Member Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (Apr 2012–Apr 2014) Director of the KPA General Political Bureau (Apr 2012–Apr 2014) Secretary for Workers' Organizations (from Apr 2014) Chairman of the State Sports and Physical Culture Guidance Commission (from Apr 2014)	Vice Chairman of the National Defence Commission (Apr–Sep 2014)
5	Ri Yong-ho	September 2010	Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Politburo Presidium Member	Chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army	Demoted, July 2012
6	Jang Song-taek	September 2010	Director of the Central Administration Department Chairman of the State Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Commission	Vice Chairman of the National Defence Commission Co-chair of the DPRK-China Joint Guidance Committee	Expelled, December 2013
7	Kim Kyong-hui	September 2010	Secretary for Light Industry		Demoted, April 2014
8	Kim Jong-gak	April 2012		Minister of the People's Armed Forces	Demoted, March 2013
9	Kim Kuk-thae	September 2010	Chairman of the Central Control Commission		Died, December 2013
10	Kim Ki-nam	September 2010	Secretary for Propaganda and Party History Director of the Central Propaganda and Agitation Department	Vice Chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland
11	Choe Thae-bok	May 1990	Secretary for Education and Science Affairs	Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly
12	Pak To-chun	September 2010	Secretary for Military Industry
13	Yang Hyong-sop	December 1993		Vice President of the SPA Presidium Vice Chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland
14	Kim Yong-chun	September 2010	Director of the Central Civil Defence Department	Vice Chairman of the National Defence Commission	Demoted, April 2014
15	Kang Sok-ju	September 2010		Vice Premier
16	Ri Yong-mu	September 2010		Vice Chairman of the National Defence Commission
17	Kim Won-hong	April 2012		Minister of State Security
18	Hyon Chol-hae	April 2012		First Vice Minister of the People's Armed Forces Director of the KPA General Logistics Bureau
18	Kim Kyok-sik	March 2013		Minister of the People's Armed Forces (Nov 2012–May 2013) Chief of the KPA General Staff (May–Aug 2013)	Alternate Member
19	Hyon Yong-chol	March 2013	Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (Jul 2012–May 2013)	Chief of the KPA General Staff (Jul 2012–May 2013) Commander of the 5th Army Corps (May 2013–Jun 2014) Minister of the People's Armed Forces (Jun 2014–Apr 2015)	Alternate Member
20	Ri Yong-gil	April 2014		Chief of the KPA General Staff (from Aug 2013)	Alternate Member
21	Kim Yang-gon	September 2010	Secretary for United Front Work Director of the Central United Front Work Department	Chairman of the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee	Alternate Member
23	Choe Pu-il	April 2012		Minister of People's Security Chairman of the SPA Credentials Committee	Alternate Member
24	Kim Yong-il	September 2010	Secretary for International Relations Director of the Central International Relations Department		Alternate Member Demoted, April 2014
25	Kim Phyong-hae	September 2010	Secretary for Cadres Director of the Central Cadres Department		Alternate Member
26	Kwak Pom-gi	April 2012	Secretary for Finance Director of the Central Finance and Planning Department	Chairman of the SPA Budget Committee	Alternate Member
27	Mun Kyong-dok	September 2010	Secretary of the Secretariat Chief Secretary of the WPK Pyongyang Committee		Alternate Member Demoted, April 2014
28	Ju Kyu-chang	September 2010	Director of the Central Machine-Building Department		Alternate Member
29	Kim Chang-sop	September 2010		Director of the Political Bureau of the Ministry of State Security	Alternate Member
30	Ro Tu-chol	April 2012		Vice Premier Chairman of the State Planning Commission	Alternate Member
31	Ry Pyong-sam	April 2012		Director of the Political Bureau of the Korean People's Internal Security Forces	Alternate Member
32	Jo Yon-jun	September 2010	First Vice Director of the Central Organisation and Guidance Department		Alternate Member
33	Thae Jong-su	September 2010	Chief Secretary of South Hamgyong Party Committee		Alternate Member

References

Citations

Bibliography

Books:

Lankov, Andrey (2002). From Stalin to Kim Il Sung: The Formation of North Korea, 1945–1960. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 978-0-8135-3117-5.
Scalapino, Robert; Lee, Chong-sik (1972). Communism in Korea: The Movement. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-02080-1.
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.

Dissertations:

Paik, Hak Soon (1993). North Korean State Formation, 1945–1950 (Thesis). University of Pennsylvania.