View source for Rules of the Workers' Party of Korea

{{Short description|Constitution of North Korea's ruling party}}
{{Use American English|date = January 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date = January 2019}}
{{Infobox Korean name
| hangul    = {{linktext|조선|로동당|규약}}
| hanja     = {{linktext|朝鮮|勞動黨|規約}}
| rr        = Joseon rodongdang gyuyak
| mr        = Chosŏn rodongdang kyuyak
| koreanipa =
| context   =north
| image     =Charter of the Workers' Party of Korea.jpg
| caption   =Title page of the current Rulebook of the Workers' Party of Korea
}}
{{Politics of North Korea|expanded=Workers' Party}}
The '''Rules of the Workers' Party of Korea''' ({{Korean|조선로동당규약|mr=Chosŏn rodongdang kyuyak|context=north}}) are the [[by-law]]s of the [[Workers' Party of Korea]] (WPK). It sets the rules of the organization and membership of the party. According to the rules, the [[Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea|WPK Congress]] is the highest body of the party and it, along with the [[Conference of the Workers' Party of Korea|WPK Conference]], can amend the rules. The rules defines the character, task, and methodology of the party. According to it, the Party strives to impose [[communism]] on the whole of the [[Korean Peninsula]]. Recent revisions of the rules have defined [[Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism]] as the ideology of the party.
The first rules were adopted on 30 August 1946 at the [[1st Congress of the Workers' Party of North Korea]], the immediate predecessor of the modern WPK. Since then, every Conference and some Congresses have revised the rules, most recently the [[7th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea|7th Congress]] in 2016.
Since the [[Death and state funeral of Kim Il Sung|death of Kim Il Sung]] and [[Kim Jong Il]]'s accession to the leadership of the country, the rules has not been adhered to by the party. After the [[6th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea|6th Congress]] in 1980, Congresses were no longer held every five years as stipulated by the rules. Neither were plenums of the [[Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea|Central Committee]] held at regular six month intervals. Kim Jong Il was also elected General Secretary of the party without observing the correct procedure. In preparation of [[Kim Jong Un]]'s succession, the [[3rd Conference of the Workers' Party of Korea|3rd Conference]] in 2010 revised the rules to ensure that he would secure leadership in both the party and the army at the same time. Changes were also made to allow the [[Kim dynasty (North Korea)|Kim dynasty]] to pick a dates for Congresses freely. Such a Congress, [[8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea|8th party Congress]], amended the rules by giving Kim Jong Un the title [[General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea]] in January 2021.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.koreaworldtimes.com/topics/news/9386/|script-title=ja:朝鮮労働党規約（2021年1月9日改正・抜粋訳） 1/3|newspaper=KoreaWorldTimes |date=2021-06-05|language=ja|access-date=2021-06-06}}</ref>
==Purpose==
The rules, commonly known as the "Rules and Constitution", contains the party's [[by-law]]s.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://nkleadershipwatch.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/meeting-of-party-cell-secretaries-to-be-held-in-pyongyang/ | work = North Korea Leadership Watch | access-date = 12 March 2013 | title = Meeting of Party Cell Secretaries To Be Held in Pyongyang | date = 18 January 2014}}</ref> The rules outlines the character, task and methodology of the Worker's Party.{{sfn|North Korea Handbook|2002|p=93}} It sets [[communism]] across the whole [[Korean Peninsula]] as the goal of the party.{{sfn|North Korea Handbook|2002|p=651}} According to the rules, the party "represents the interests of the Korean nation and people", and its immediate task is "to attain a perfect victory of socialism in the northern part and to complete the revolutionary tasks of achieving national liberation and the people's democracy through the country." This task is to be achieved by "perform[ing] the revolution and construction tasks under the sole leader's exclusive guidance, applying his revolutionary ideology as [the] guideline".{{sfn|North Korea Handbook|2002|p=93}} The rules stipulates that the party guides all state and social organs in North Korea.{{sfn|Gause|2013|p=19}}
The rules sets the rules on the organization of the party and its membership. It stipulates that the [[Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea|Congress]] is the highest body of the party. The rules says that when the Congress is not in session, the party is run by the [[Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea|Central Committee]]. According to the rules, the Central Committee elects the [[General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea|General Secretary of the party]], members of the [[Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea|Politburo]], [[Presidium of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea|its Presidium]], the [[Executive Policy Bureau of the Workers' Party of Korea|Executive Policy Bureau]], members of the [[Control Commission of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea|Control Commission]], and members of the [[Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea|Central Military Commission]] (CMC).<ref name="coun_Nort">{{Cite book | chapter = North Korea - The Korean Workers' Party (KWP) | title = North Korea: A Country Study | editor = Andrea Matles Savada | work = countrystudies.us | location = Washington | publisher = GPO for the Library of Congress | date = 1993 | access-date = 9 May 2016 | chapter-url = http://countrystudies.us/north-korea/57.htm }}</ref><ref name="Leadership2016"/>
The rules can be amended by a Congress or a [[Conference of the Workers' Party of Korea|Conference]] of the party.{{sfn|North Korea Handbook|2002|p=94}}<ref name="CharteramendedCMC"/> The Control Commission theoretically probes suspected violations of the rules by party members.{{sfn|North Korea Handbook|2002|p=94}} However, the rules is, in fact, an essentially meaningless document for much of its existence, since there is no oversight of central-level compliance.{{sfn|Gause|2013|p=28}} Despite this, [[NK News]] has called the party rules "one of the most important texts in North Korea's political system".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2021-06-10 |title=Everything you need to know about North Korea's new Party rules |url=https://www.nknews.org/pro/everything-you-need-to-know-about-north-koreas-new-party-rules/ |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=NK PRO |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Implementation==
Although the rules is the party's highest document ''[[de jure]]'', [[Kim Il Sung]] and [[Kim Jong Il]] breached party [[Etiquette|protocol]] during their rule by not convening party Congresses or Central Committee plenums.<ref name="protocolcharter"/> The Central Committee is not a permanent body; it must convene, according to the party's rules, at least once every six months. The Central Committee is, according to the party's rules, elected by delegates to a party congress; in practice, however, this has not been the case.{{sfn|Lankov|2007|p=66}}
According to Article 27 of the rules, the Central Military Commission (CMC) is the highest party body in military affairs; it commands the [[Korean People's Army]], developing and guiding its weaponry.{{sfn|Gause|2011|pp=226–227}} In practice, however, the CMC is a ceremonial body subordinate to the [[National Defence Commission]].{{sfn|Gause|2011|pp=226–227}} A 1982 amendment to the rules is believed to have made the CMC equal to the Central Committee, enabling it (among other things) to elect the party leader.{{sfn|Gause|2013|p=43}}
Although the party rules specifies that the Politburo should meet at least once a month, there is little evidence that this has actually happened.{{sfn|Buzo|1999|p=31}}
In 2010 the rule that Congresses be held every five years was dropped, recognising this had been ignored for thirty years.<ref name=38north-20201220>{{cite news |url=https://www.38north.org/2020/12/partycongress122220/ |title=North Korean Party Congress Primer |publisher=The Henry L. Stimson Center |work=[[38 North]] |date=20 December 2020 |access-date=6 January 2021}}</ref>
==History==
The first rules was adopted on 30 August 1946 in the [[1st Congress of the Workers' Party of North Korea]], the immediate predecessor of the present WPK. The [[2nd Congress of the Workers' Party of North Korea|2nd Congress]] revised it on 30 March 1948, and the [[3rd Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea]] made extensive revisions to it in April 1956. The [[4th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea|4th Congress]] amended it on 18 September 1961, and the [[5th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea|5th Congress]] on 13 November 1970. The [[6th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea|6th Congress]] revised it on 10 October 1980.<ref>{{cite book|author=Il-pyong J. Kim|title=The Party Statutes of the Communist World|year=1984|publisher=Martinus Nijhoff Publishers|location=The Hague|isbn=90-247-2975-0|chapter=Introduction [The Statute of the Korean Workers' Party]|editor-last1=Simons|editor-first1=William B.|editor-last2=White|editor-first2=Stephen|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NZHj2kjV_FgC&pg=PA263|page=263}}</ref>
The 1990s (especially after [[Death and state funeral of Kim Il Sung|Kim Il Sung's death]]) began a period in which any pretense of following the rules was dropped.{{sfn|Kim|2000|p=257}} No Central Committee plenums were convened between 1993 and 2010,{{sfn|Gause|2013|p=20}} even though the rules mandated one to be held at least every six months.{{sfn|Lankov|2007|p=66}} As consequence, the composition of the CC at that time remained only an estimate. It was not known which members of the 6th CC were active or even alive.<ref name="protocolcharter"/>
In a clear breach of the rules, Kim Jong Il was appointed WPK General Secretary in a joint announcement by the 6th Central Committee and the CMC rather than elected by a plenum of the Central Committee.{{sfn|Gause|2011|p=18}}
===3rd party Conference===
On 26 June 2010 the Politburo announced that it was summoning delegates for the [[3rd Conference of the Workers' Party of Korea|3rd party Conference]],{{sfn|Gause|2013|p=20}} with its official explanation the need to "reflect the demands of the revolutionary development of the Party, which is facing critical changes in bringing about the strong and prosperous state and chuche [''Juche''] development."{{sfn|Gause|2013|p=20}} The Conference met on 28 September, revising the party rules and electing (and dismissing) members of the Central Committee, the Secretariat, the Politburo, the Presidium and other bodies.{{sfn|Gause|2013|p=20}} The WPK's ultimate goal was changed from "build[ing] a communist society" (although [[Marxism–Leninism]] was still mentioned){{sfn|Gause|2011|p=147}} to "embody[ing] the revolutionary cause of Juche in the entire society".{{sfn|Gause|2011|p=147}}
The rules was revised at the 3rd Conference (its first revision since the 6th Congress in 1980)<ref name="protocolcharter">{{cite web | url = http://nkleadershipwatch.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/3rd-party-conference/| work = North Korea Leadership Watch | access-date = 12 March 2014 | title = 3rd Party Conference | date = 3 September 2010}}</ref>{{sfn|Gause|2013|p=44}} to require the party's [[First Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea|First Secretary]] to also hold the office of Chairman of the party's [[Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea|Central Military Commission]].<ref name="CharteramendedCMC">{{cite web | url = http://nkleadershipwatch.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/4th-party-conference-to-convene-in-mid-april/ | work = North Korea Leadership Watch | access-date = 12 March 2013 | title = 4th Party Conference To Convene in "mid-April" | date = 2 February 2012}}</ref> This was to ensure Kim Jong Un's succession of his father, Kim Jong Il, by guaranteeing that he inherits the top posts in not just the party but the army as well.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Power Shift Detailed in North Korean Party Charter | work = VOA | date = 21 January 2011 | access-date = 8 May 2016 | url = http://www.voanews.com/content/north-korea-party-charter-revision-details-power-shift-114412904/133880.html }}</ref>
Although a congress was formerly mandated to be convened every five years, the 3rd Conference revised the party rules to state that the Central Committee could convene a congress as desired with six months' notice to the party.{{sfn|Gause|2011|p=147}} This, too, was done in preparation for Kim Jong Un's succession, allowing the [[Kim dynasty (North Korea)|Kim dynasty]] to pick the date freely.<ref>{{Cite web | title = [News Briefing] N. Korea reported to amend WPK charter for power succession | work=[[The Hankyoreh]] | date = 7 January 2011 | access-date = 8 May 2016 | url = http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/457707.html }}</ref>
Two new articles were added: "The Party and the People's Power" and "The Party Logo and Flag of Party".<ref>{{cite web | url = http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-09/29/c_13534393.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101003115823/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-09/29/c_13534393.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = 3 October 2010 | publisher = [[Xinhua]] | access-date = 12 March 2014 | title = DPRK's WPK conference issues resolution on revision of party charter | date = 29 September 2010 }}</ref>
===4th party Conference===
Ideology was elaborated at the [[4th Conference of the Workers' Party of Korea|4th party Conference]] in 2012, when [[Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism]] became "the only guiding idea of the party" in the rules.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism Reported by Chinese TV | agency = KCNA | date = 27 May 2012 | archive-date = 12 October 2014 | access-date = 8 May 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141012085139/http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2012/201205/news27/20120527-03ee.html | url= http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2012/201205/news27/20120527-03ee.html}}</ref>
===7th party Congress===
At the [[7th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea|7th party Congress]] on 9 May 2016, the rules was amended "as required by the developing reality."<ref name="Leadership2016">{{cite web|url=https://nkleadershipwatch.wordpress.com/2016/05/10/fourth-and-final-day-of-the-7th-party-congress/|title=Fourth and Final Day of the 7th Party Congress|date=10 May 2016|access-date=25 May 2016|work=North Korea Leadership Watch}}</ref> The [[Byungjin|dual-track policy of pursuing both economic growth and nuclear weapons capacity was added to the Charter.]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/Article.aspx?aid=3018555|title=Kim Jong-un is made chairman of Workers' Party|date=11 May 2016|access-date=25 May 2016|author=Kang Jin-kyu|work=[[Korea JoongAng Daily]]}}</ref> Secretary titles were made Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen in both the central and municipal levels. The Secretariat was named the Executive Policy Bureau. The First Secretary of the party became [[Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea|Chairman of the Workers' Party]].<ref name="Leadership2016"/>
=== 8th party Congress ===
The [[8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea|8th party Congress]] held in 2021 again amended the party rules. It changed the leader of the party from Chairman to [[General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea|General Secretary]], established a post called First Secretary, mostly removed mentions of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un, removed a line calling for a revolution in South Korea, and reasserted its commitment to [[communism]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=권 |first=영전 |date=2021-06-01 |script-title=ko:[표] 북한 노동당 규약 주요 개정 내용 |url=https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20210601170100504 |access-date=2022-08-28 |script-website=ko:연합뉴스 |language=ko}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
==See also==
{{Portal|North Korea|Politics}}
*[[Constitution of North Korea]]
*[[Law of North Korea]]
*[[Politics of North Korea]]
*[[Ten Principles for the Establishment of a Monolithic Ideological System]]
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
===Works cited===
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book | author = Buzo, Adrian | ref = CITEREFBuzo1999 | title = The Guerilla Dynasty: Politics and Leadership in North Korea | publisher = [[I.B. Tauris]] | year = 1999 | isbn = 1-86064-414-7 }}
* {{cite book | author = Gause, Ken E. | ref = CITEREFGause2011 | title = North Korea Under Kim Chong-il: Power, Politics, and Prospects for Change | publisher = [[ABC-CLIO]] | year = 2011 | isbn = 978-0-313-38175-1 }}
* {{cite book |last=Gause|first=Ken|chapter=The Role and Influence of the Party Apparatus|editor1=Park, Kyung-ae |editor2=Snyder, Scott |title=North Korea in Transition: Politics, Economy, and Society|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |year=2013|isbn=978-1-4422-1812-3|pages=19–46|author-mask=1}}
* {{cite book | author = Kim, Samuel | ref = CITEREFKim2000 | chapter = North Korean Informal Politics | title = Informal Politics in East Asia | publisher = [[Cambridge University Press]] | year = 2000 | isbn = 0-521-64538-7 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/informalpolitics0000unse }}
* {{cite book | author = Lankov, Andrei | author-link = Andrei Lankov | ref = CITEREFLankov2007 | title = Crisis in North Korea: The Failure of De-Stalinization, 1956 | publisher = [[University of Hawaii Press]] | year = 2007 | isbn = 978-0-8248-3207-0 }}
* {{cite book|location=Seoul|title=North Korea Handbook|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JIlh9nNeadMC&pg=PA93|date=2002|publisher=[[Yonhap News Agency]]|isbn=978-0-7656-3523-5| ref = CITEREFNorth_Korea_Handbook2002}}
{{Refend}}
==Further reading==
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite book|author=WPNK|title=Pukchoson Nodon-dang Ch'angnip Taehoe|trans-title=Founding Congress of the North Korean Workers' Party|location=Pyongyang|date=1946|pages=48–56|chapter=[Charter of the Workers' Party of North Korea]|language=ko}}
*{{cite book|author=WPNK|author-mask=1|title=Pukchoson Nodon-dang Cheich'a Chondang Taehoe Hoeirok|trans-title=Proceedings of the Second Congress of the North Korean Workers' Party|location=Pyongyang|date=1948|pages=191–213|chapter=[Charter of the Workers' Party of North Korea]|language=ko}}
*{{cite book|author=WPK|title=Third Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea: Documents and Materials, April 23-29, 1956|location=Pyongyang|publisher=[[Foreign Languages Publishing House (North Korea)|Foreign Languages Publishing House]]|date=1956|pages=387–405|chapter=[Charter of the Workers' Party of Korea]|oclc=51325071}}
*{{cite book|author=WPK|author-mask=1|editor-last1=Scalapino|editor-first1=Robert A.|editor2=Chong-Sik Lee|title=Communism in Korea: The Society|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g2M_yhsWc6gC&pg=PA1331|publication-date=1972|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley|date=1956–1961|isbn=978-0-520-02274-4|pages=1331–1349|chapter=Rules of the Workers' Party of Korea: As amended on April 28, 1956 and September 16, 1961}}
*{{cite book|author=WPK|author-mask=1|title=Korean Communism 1945-1980: A Reference Guide to the Political System|location=Honolulu|publisher=University Press of Hawaii|publication-date=1981|date=1970|pages=525–544|chapter=[Charter of the Workers' Party of Korea]|isbn=978-0-8248-0740-5|editor=Dae-Sook Suh}}
*{{cite book|author=WPK|author-mask=1|title=The Party Statutes of the Communist World|year=1980|publication-date=1984|publisher=Martinus Nijhoff Publishers|location=The Hague|isbn=90-247-2975-0|chapter=The Statute of the Korean Workers' Party: Approved by the VI (1980) Congress of the KWP|editor-last1=Simons|editor-first1=William B.|editor-last2=White|editor-first2=Stephen|translator=Il-pyong J. Kim|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NZHj2kjV_FgC&pg=PA265|pages=265–284}}
*{{cite web|author=WPK|author-mask=1|url=http://www.voanews.com/MediaAssets2/english/2011_01/WPKCharter28SEP10.pdf|date=2010|script-title=ko:조선로동당규약|trans-title=Charter of the Workers' Party of Korea|language=ko|access-date=8 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170622234608/https://www.voanews.com/MediaAssets2/english/2011_01/WPKCharter28SEP10.pdf|archive-date=22 June 2017|url-status=dead}}
{{Refend}}
{{Workers' Party of Korea}}
[[Category:1946 establishments in North Korea]]
[[Category:Ideology of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
[[Category:Rulebooks of communist parties|North Korea]]