Member of the Secretariat of the Workers' Party of Korea, which is headed by a General Secretary
The General Secretary and Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea is a member of the Secretariat of the Workers' Party of Korea, which is headed by a General Secretary (the name of this office has changed throughout North Korean history).
General Secretaries and forerunners
Title
|
Officeholder
|
Hangul
|
Birth
|
Death
|
Took office
|
Left office
|
Duration
|
First Secretary of the North Korean Branch Bureau
|
Kim Yong-bom
|
김용범
|
1902
|
1947
|
13 October 1945
|
18 December 1946
|
1 year and 66 days
|
First Secretary of the North Korean Branch Bureau
|
Kim Il Sung
|
김일성
|
1912
|
1994
|
18 December 1946
|
28 August 1946
|
2 years and 194 days
|
First Secretary of the Central Committee
|
Ho Ka-i
|
허가이
|
1900
|
1953
|
24 June 1949
|
2 July 1953
|
4 years and 8 days
|
Second Secretary of the Central Committee
|
Yi Sung-yop
|
이성엽
|
1905
|
1954
|
24 June 1949
|
6 August 1953
|
4 years and 43 days
|
Third Secretary of the Central Committee
|
Kim Sam-yong
|
김삼룡
|
1908
|
1950
|
24 June 1949
|
27 March 1950
|
276 days
|
General Secretary of the Central Committee
|
Kim Il Sung
|
김일성
|
1912
|
1994
|
12 October 1966
|
8 July 1994
|
27 years and 269 days
|
General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea
|
Kim Jong Il
|
김정일
|
1941
|
2011
|
8 October 1997
|
17 December 2011
|
14 years and 70 days
|
First Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea
|
Kim Jong Un
|
김정은
|
1983
|
Alive
|
11 April 2012
|
9 May 2016
|
4 years and 28 days
|
General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea
|
Kim Jong Un
|
김정은
|
1983
|
Alive
|
10 January 2021
|
Incumbent
|
3 years and 172 days
|
References:
|
Secretaries
Rank [note 1]
|
Name
|
Hangul
|
Birth
|
Death
|
Took office
|
Left office
|
Duration
|
9
|
An Seug-tak
|
안수탁
|
?
|
?
|
17 June 1983
|
?
|
?
|
10
|
Chae Hi-chong
|
채희총
|
?
|
?
|
17 June 1983
|
?
|
?
|
3
|
Choe Ryong-hae
|
최룡해
|
1950
|
Alive
|
28 September 2010
|
9 May 2016
|
5 years and 224 days
|
7
|
Choe Sang-gon
|
최상건
|
1953
|
Alive
|
10 January 2021
|
Incumbent
|
3 years and 172 days
|
2
|
Choe Thae-bok
|
김기남
|
1930
|
Alive
|
27 December 1986
|
9 May 2016
|
29 years and 134 days
|
1
|
Choe Yong-gon
|
최용건
|
1900
|
1976
|
12 October 1966
|
19 September 1976
|
9 years and 343 days
|
—
|
Chon Pyong-ho
|
전병호
|
1926
|
2014
|
27 December 1986
|
28 September 2010
|
23 years and 275 days
|
7
|
Han Ik-su
|
한익수
|
1912
|
1978
|
13 November 1970
|
5 September 1978
|
7 years and 296 days
|
—
|
Han Son-yong
|
한성룡
|
1923
|
2009
|
12 December 1988
|
2009
|
38 years and 49 days
|
7
|
Ho Bong-hak
|
허봉학
|
?
|
?
|
12 October 1966
|
16 November 1968
|
2 years and 35 days
|
—
|
Ho Dam
|
허담
|
1929
|
1991
|
1 December 1983
|
11 May 1991
|
7 years and 161 days
|
7
|
Ho Jong-suk
|
허정숙
|
1908
|
1991
|
17 June 1983
|
5 June 1991
|
?
|
7
|
Hong Si-hak
|
홍시학
|
?
|
?
|
14 October 1980
|
1 December 1983
|
3 years and 48 days
|
10
|
Hong Sok-hyong
|
홍석형
|
1936
|
Alive
|
28 September 2010
|
June 2011
|
246 days
|
6
|
Hwang Jang-yop
|
황장엽
|
1923
|
2010
|
12 December 1979
|
24 February 1997
|
17 years and 74 days
|
8
|
Hyon Mu-gwang
|
현무광
|
1913
|
1992
|
13 November 1970
|
14 October 1980
|
9 years and 336 days
|
5
|
Hyon Mu-kwang
|
현무광
|
?
|
?
|
17 June 1983
|
?
|
?
|
1
|
Jo Yong-won
|
조용원
|
?
|
Alive
|
10 January 2021
|
Incumbent
|
3 years and 172 days
|
4
|
Jong Sang-hak
|
정상학
|
?
|
Alive
|
10 January 2021
|
Incumbent
|
3 years and 172 days
|
—
|
Kang Song-san
|
강성산
|
1931
|
1997
|
27 December 1986
|
?
|
|
2
|
Kim Chung-nin
|
김중린
|
1923
|
2010
|
13 November 1970
|
10 December 1984
|
14 years and 27 days
|
9 January 1990
|
28 April 2010
|
20 years and 109 days
|
4
|
Kim Hwan
|
김영남
|
?
|
?
|
14 October 1980
|
17 June 1983
|
2 years and 246 days
|
2
|
Kim Il
|
김일
|
1910
|
1984
|
12 October 1966
|
14 October 1980
|
14 years and 2 days
|
1
|
Kim Jong Il
|
김정일
|
1942
|
2011
|
17 September 1973
|
8 October 1997
|
26 years and 329 days
|
6
|
Kim Jung-rin
|
김중린
|
1923
|
2010
|
30 June 1969
|
14 October 1980
|
11 years and 106 days
|
1
|
Kim Ki-nam
|
김기남
|
1929
|
2024
|
October 2007
|
9 May 2016
|
8 years and 221 days
|
—
|
Kim Kyong-hui
|
김경희
|
1946
|
Alive
|
11 April 2012
|
9 May 2016
|
4 years and 28 days
|
5
|
Kim Kwang-hyop
|
김광협
|
1915
|
1970
|
12 October 1966
|
July 1970
|
3 years and 262 days
|
8
|
Kim Phyong-hae
|
김평해
|
1941
|
Alive
|
28 September 2010
|
9 May 2016
|
5 years and 224 days
|
10
|
Kim To-man
|
김토만
|
?
|
1967
|
12 October 1966
|
8 April 1967
|
2 years and 35 days
|
5
|
Kim Tong-gyu
|
김동규
|
1915
|
?
|
13 November 1970
|
28 November 1978
|
8 years and 15 days
|
6
|
Kim Tu-il
|
김두일
|
?
|
Alive
|
10 January 2021
|
Incumbent
|
3 years and 172 days
|
7
|
Kim Yang-gon
|
김양건
|
1942
|
2015
|
28 September 2010
|
29 December 2015
|
5 years and 92 days
|
6
|
Kim Yong-il
|
김영일
|
1944
|
Alive
|
28 September 2010
|
9 May 2016
|
5 years and 224 days
|
8
|
Kim Yong-ju
|
김영주
|
1920
|
Alive
|
12 October 1966
|
11–13 February 1974
|
7 years and 124 days
|
2
|
Kim Yong-nam
|
김영남
|
1928
|
Alive
|
14 October 1980
|
17 June 1983
|
2 years and 246 days
|
—
|
Kim Yong-sun
|
김용순
|
1934
|
2003
|
23 May 1990
|
26 October 2003
|
13 years and 156 days
|
—
|
Kwak Pom-gi
|
곽범기
|
1939
|
Alive
|
11 April 2012
|
9 May 2016
|
4 years and 28 days
|
—
|
Kye Ung-tae
|
김영남
|
1920
|
2006
|
8 February 1986
|
23 November 2006
|
20 years and 288 days
|
4
|
Mun Kyong-dok
|
문경덕
|
1957
|
Alive
|
28 September 2010
|
9 May 2016
|
5 years and 224 days
|
4
|
O Jin-u
|
오진우
|
1917
|
1995
|
13 November 1970
|
14 October 1980
|
9 years and 336 days
|
—
|
O Su-yong
|
오수용
|
1944
|
Alive
|
11 February 2021
|
Incumbent
|
3 years and 140 days
|
3
|
Pak Kum-chol
|
박금철
|
1911
|
1967
|
12 October 1966
|
8 April 1967
|
178 days
|
—
|
Pak Nam-gi
|
박남기
|
1934
|
2010
|
12 December 1988
|
9 January 2010
|
21 years and 28 days
|
9
|
Pak Su-dong
|
박수동
|
?
|
?
|
14 October 1980
|
31 August 1982
|
1 year and 321 days
|
2
|
Pak Thae-song
|
박태성
|
1955
|
Alive
|
10 January 2021
|
Incumbent
|
3 years and 172 days
|
5
|
Pak To-chun
|
박도춘
|
1944
|
Alive
|
28 September 2010
|
9 May 2016
|
5 years and 224 days
|
9
|
Pak Yong-guk
|
박용국
|
?
|
?
|
12 October 1966
|
16 November 1968
|
2 years and 35 days
|
5
|
Ri Il-hwan
|
리일환
|
1960
|
Alive
|
10 January 2021
|
Incumbent
|
3 years and 172 days
|
3
|
Ri Pyong-chol
|
리병철
|
1948
|
Alive
|
10 January 2021
|
Incumbent
|
3 years and 172 days
|
6
|
Sok San
|
속산
|
?
|
?
|
12 October 1966
|
13 November 1970
|
4 years and 32 days
|
—
|
So Kwan-hui
|
서관희
|
1926
|
1997
|
6 October 1981
|
21 September 1997
|
15 years and 350 days
|
8
|
Son Kwan-hi
|
손관희
|
?
|
?
|
17 June 1983
|
?
|
?
|
9
|
Thae Jong-su
|
태종수
|
1936
|
Alive
|
28 September 2010
|
9 May 2016
|
5 years and 224 days
|
9
|
Yang Hyon-sop
|
양형섭
|
1925
|
Alive
|
30 June 1969
|
14 October 1980
|
11 years and 106 days
|
4
|
Yi Hyo-sun
|
이효선
|
?
|
1967
|
12 October 1966
|
8 April 1967
|
178 days
|
—
|
Yi Kuk-chin
|
이국진
|
?
|
?
|
30 June 1969
|
13 November 1970
|
1 year and 136 days
|
6
|
Yun Ki-bok
|
윤기복
|
?
|
?
|
14 October 1980
|
17 June 1983
|
2 years and 246 days
|
9 January 1990
|
?
|
?
|
References:
|
Noter
- ^ Highest rank the individualattained during tenure.
The rank does not include the head secretary. For instance, in the 6th Secretariat Kim Jong-il is ranked 1 in this list. Some other lists might rank him as 2 since Kim Il-sung served as General Secretary of the Central Committee.
References
Bibliography