Korea, North

THE KOREAN WORKERS' Party (Chosun Nodong Dang) is the political party that controls North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (Chosun Minjujui Kongwaguk). It was established in August 1946 from three groups of communists who had fought against the Japanese. Korean communists who had been in the Soviet Union during World War II composed the first group. Most of these had been in the Soviet Maritime Province along the Manchurian and Korean border. Another faction was close to the Chinese Communists. The third faction's members were resistance fighters who had fought the Japanese troops in Korea.

When the Korean Workers' Party was organized, it was modeled after the Soviet Communist Party. Many of the most prominent members of the party had been in the Soviet Union and had been members of the Soviet Communist Party. Rather quickly Kim Ilsung became general secretary. His close association with the Soviets aided his rise to party leadership. A master politician, he accepted the views of other party leaders from different backgrounds until he was able to purge all opposition.

Formally, the party congress, composed of delegates elected at provincial and city meetings, is the ruling body. It is supposed to meet every four years, but usually meets less frequently. When it does meet, it ratifies the decisions of its Central Committee. The Political Bureau (Politburo) is elected by the Central Committee. The Standing Committee of the Politburo has five members. The most powerful member was Kim Ilsung until his death and his son, Kim Jongil since then.

The party has nine departments headed by party secretaries. The official organ of the party is Nodong Sinmum (Workers' News) which is a daily newspaper.

Other important mass organizations include the Socialist Workers' Youth League, which educates party members. The Young Pioneer Corps is for children. The organization, Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland includes many groups. Nearly a million Koreans live in Japan. Many belong to the North Korean party's front organization, the General Association of Korean residents in Japan.

North Korea appears to be a multiparty state. There are two parties besides the Korean Workers' Party: the Korean Social Democratic Party and the Chondogyo Chongu (Young Friends) Party. These are theoretically freely organized but are actually under the control of the Korean Workers' Party and are for presenting the image that Korea is a democratic multiparty state rather than a totalitarian one-party state.

An important element in the philosophy of the Korean Workers' Party is the philosophy of Juche (“self-reliance” or “independence”). Kimilsungism, the philosophy developed by Kim Ilsung, reflects Korean [Page 264]values, especially that of stubborn resistance to foreign domination. Kim Ilsung was horrified by the sudden fall of communism in 1989. In response, he recalled all the North Korean students studying in communist East European countries. Intense indoctrination in North Korean beliefs was begun and maintained. He promoted a personality cult that was quasi-religious and focused on himself. The death of Kim Ilsung in 1994 was shocking to his country after 48 years of rule. His son and successor, Kim Jongil, led the country in mourning for their Dear Leader. He seems to be supported in power by technocrats and party functionaries. He has a reputation for conducting “black operations,” or covert action.

The left in North and South Korea have one thing in common: both are subject to strong nationalistic governments.

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