View source for State Affairs Commission of North Korea

{{Short description|Political authority in North Korea}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name     = State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
| nativename_a    = 조선민주주의인민공화국 국무위원회
| logo            = Emblem of the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea.svg
| logo_width      = 150px
| logo_caption    = [[Emblem of North Korea|Emblem of the president of the State Affairs Commission]]
| formed          = 29 June 2016
| preceding1      = [[National Defence Commission]]
| agency_type     = Supreme policy-oriented leadership body
| jurisdiction    = [[Government of North Korea|Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea]]
| headquarters    = [[Government Complex No. 1]], [[Pyongyang]]
| chief1_name     = [[Kim Jong Un]]
| chief1_position = [[President of the State Affairs Commission|President]]
| chief2_name     = [[Choe Ryong-hae]], [[Kim Tok-hun]]
| chief2_position = Vice Presidents
}}
{{Politics of North Korea|expanded=State Affairs Commission}}
{{Infobox Korean name|context=north|title=DPRK State Affairs Commission|hangul=조선민주주의인민공화국 국무위원회|hanja=朝鮮民主主義人民共和國國務委員會|mr=Chosŏn minjujuŭi inmin konghwaguk kungmu wiwŏnhoe|rr=Joseon minjujuui inmin gonghwaguk gungmu wiwonhoe}}
The '''State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea''' ('''SAC''') is constitutionally the supreme political authority of [[North Korea]]. The State Affairs Commission was created by 2016 amendments to the [[Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea|North Korean Constitution]] to replace the previously military-dominated [[National Defence Commission]].
The body is headed by the [[President of the State Affairs of North Korea|President of the State Affairs Commission]], commonly styled in official North Korean releases as "President of State Affairs", who is defined as the [[head of state]] of [[Korea|the nation]] and the [[Supreme Leader (North Korean title)|supreme leader]]. The current President is [[Kim Jong Un]]. The first vice-president is [[Choe Ryong-hae]], who is also the Chairman of the [[Supreme People's Assembly|Supreme People's Assembly Standing Committee]].
==History==
The predecessor body, National Defence Commission, was created in 1972 as sub-committee for defence and security affairs of the Supreme People's Committee, the later was headed by the [[President of North Korea|President of the DPRK]] [[Kim Il Sung]] and exercised similar powers within the constitutional framework of the [[Constitution of North Korea|1972 Constitution of North Korea]].
The National Defence Commission was separated from the Supreme People's Committee in 1992 and [[Kim Jong Il]] was officially designated as chair of the body. In 1998, two years after the death of Kim Il Sung, the National Defence Commission was empowered as the supreme defence body, and in line with the [[Songun|Songun ideology]], the supreme political authority of state and legal framework for Kim Jong Il's [[Autocracy|personal dictatorship]].
After the [[7th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea|7th Congress]] of the [[Workers' Party of Korea|Workers Party of Korea]], the constitution was amended in June 2016 that reformed the National Defence Commission into the contemporary State Affairs Commission, with the amended text stipulating the body's control over national policy.
==Powers and responsibilities==
Article 106 of the [[Constitution of North Korea]] defines the State Affairs Commission as the supreme state organ of policy direction of state sovereignty.{{sfn|Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea|2016|loc=Article 106}}<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Naenara Democratic People's Republic of Korea |url=http://www.naenara.com.kp/main/index/en/politics?arg_val=leader3 |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=www.naenara.com.kp}}</ref> Article 109 of the Constitution states that the SAC's powers are to:{{sfn|Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea|2016|loc=Article 109}}<ref>[https://www.38north.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/NKIP-Bermudez-Overview-of-NBC-061417.pdf Overview of North Korea’s NBC Infrastructure]</ref>
*deliberate and decide on major policies of the State including defence and security policies;
*exercise supervision over the fulfillment of the orders of the [[President of the State Affairs Commission]] of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the decisions and directives of the Commission, and take measures for their fulfillment;
*abrogate decisions and directives of State organs which run counter to the orders of the President of the SAC-DPRK and the decisions and directives of the Commission in its meetings.
In practice, SAC supervises the [[Cabinet of North Korea]]. It also directly supervises the three ministries that are not under the Cabinet, namely the [[Ministry of Defence (North Korea)|Ministry of Defence]], [[Ministry of State Security (North Korea)|Ministry of State Security]] and the [[Ministry of Social Security (North Korea)|Ministry of Social Security]] as well as the [[Korean People's Army]], mainly the [[General Staff Department of the Korean People's Army]] and [[General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army]]. The [[Supreme Guard Command]] which is responsible for the top leadership and government protection is also under its command. One additional entity, the [[State Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Commission]] (국가체육지도위원회), is also under the SAC as its Chairman is appointed by the Commission.<ref name=unikorea>{{Cite web|title=Organizational Chart of North Korean Leadership|location=Seoul|publisher=Political and Military Analysis Division, Intelligence and Analysis Bureau; Ministry of Unification |date=January 2018|access-date=17 October 2018|url=https://www.unikorea.go.kr/cms/getFile.do?file=2018012913454378143.pdf&orgname=north_korean_Leadership.pdf&mgmtId=MGMT_0000000754&siteId=SITE_00003&filePath=eng_unikorea/common/file/&count=Y#.pdf}}</ref><ref>[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308415815_The_State_Affairs_Commission_and_the_consolidation_of_Kim_Jong_Un's_power Coduti, Maria Rosaria. The State Affairs Commission and the consolidation of Kim Jong-un's power]</ref>
==Members==
{{main|14th State Affairs Commission}}
The following are the current members of the State Affairs Commission as of 29 September 2021:<ref name=1stSession14thSPA>{{Cite web |title=In full: promotions and demotions at North Korea's 14th SPA |publisher=Korea Risk Group |work=NK PRO |date=12 April 2019 |access-date=17 April 2019 |url= https://www.nknews.org/pro/in-full-promotions-and-demotions-at-north-koreas-14th-spa/ }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=30 September 2021|title=Second-day Sitting of 5th Session of 14th SPA of DPRK Held|url=https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1632955497-696608669/second-day-sitting-of-5th-session-of-14th-spa-of-dprk-held|access-date=30 September 2021|website=KCNA Watch}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=30 September 2021|title=At 5th Session of 14th Supreme People's Assembly of DPRK|url=https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1632955497-781119845/at-5th-session-of-14th-supreme-peoples-assembly-of-dprk|access-date=30 September 2021|website=KCNA Watch}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+
! colspan="6" |[[President of the State Affairs Commission]]
|-
! colspan="2" | President
! colspan="2" |Political party
!Member since
! Other positions
|-
|[[File:Kim Jong-un April 2019 crop.jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Kim Jong Un]]'''<br />김정은<br><small>(born 1984)</small>
|rowspan="1" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}}" height="99" |
|[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|29 June 2016
|
*[[General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
* Member of the [[Presidium of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
*[[Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of North Korea]]
|-
! colspan="6" |First Vice President of the State Affairs Commission
|-
! colspan="2" |First Vice President
! colspan="2" |Political party
!Member since
!Other positions
|-
|[[File:18th_Summit_of_Non-Aligned_Movement_gets_underway_in_Baku_005_(cropped).jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Choe Ryong-hae]]'''<br />최룡해<br><small>(born 1950)</small>
|rowspan="1" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}}" height="99" |
|[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|29 June 2016
|
* Member of the [[Presidium of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
*[[President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly|Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly]]
|-
! colspan="6" |Vice President of the State Affairs Commission
|-
! colspan="2" |Vice President
! colspan="2" |Political party
!Member since
!Other positions
|-
|[[File : Kim Tok-un.jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Kim Tok-hun]]'''<br />김덕훈<br><small>(born 1961)</small>
| rowspan="1" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}}" height="99" |
|[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|29 September 2021
|
*Member of the [[Presidium of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
*[[Premier of North Korea|Premier of the Cabinet]]
|-
! colspan="6" |Members of the State Affairs Commission
|-
! colspan="2" |Member
! colspan="2" |Political party
!Member since
!Other positions
|-
|[[File:Kim Yong Chol 2019.jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Kim Yong-chol]]'''<br />김영철<br><small>(born 1945)</small>
| rowspan="1" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}}" height="99" |
|[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|29 June 2016
|
*Member of the [[Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea|Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
* Director of the Unified Front Department of the [[Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
|-
|
|[[Ri Chang-dae]]<br />리창대
| rowspan="1" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}}" height="99" |
|[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|11 April 2018
|
*Member of the [[Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea|Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
*Member of the [[Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
*[[Ministry of State Security (North Korea)|Minister of State Security]]
*[[Colonel general|Colonel General]] of the [[Korean People's Army]]
|-
|[[File:Choe Son-hui.jpg|100px]]
|[[Choe Son-hui]]
최선희
| rowspan="1" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}}" height="99" |
|[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|12 April 2020
|
* Member of the [[Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea|Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
*[[Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Korea|Minister of Foreign Affairs]]
|-
|
|'''[[Jo Yong-won]]'''<br />조용원<br><small>(born 1957)</small>
|rowspan="1" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}}" height="99" |
|[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|29 September 2021
|
*Member of the [[Presidium of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
*[[Secretariat of the Workers' Party of Korea|Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
*Member of the [[Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
*[[Colonel general|Colonel General]] of the [[Korean People's Army]]
|-
|
|'''[[Pak Jong-chon]]'''<br />박정천
|rowspan="1" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}}" height="99" |
|[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|29 September 2021
|
*Member of the [[Presidium of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
*[[Secretariat of the Workers' Party of Korea|Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
|-
|
|'''[[O Su-yong]]'''<br />오수용<br /><small>(born 1944)</small>
|rowspan="1" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}}" height="99" |
|[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|29 September 2021
|
* Member of the [[Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea|Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
*Director of the Economic Department of the [[Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
|-
|[[File:Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin (2019-04-25) 15 (cropped).jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Ri Yong-gil]]'''<br />리영길<br /><small>(born 1955)</small>
|rowspan="1" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}}" height="99" |
|[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|29 September 2021
|
* Member of the [[Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea|Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
* Vice Chairman of the [[Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
*[[Ministry of Defence (North Korea)|Minister of National Defence]]
*[[Daejang|General]] of the [[Korean People's Army]]
|-
|
|'''[[Jang Jong-nam]]'''<br />장정남
|rowspan="1" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}}" height="99" |
|[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|29 September 2021
|
* Alternate Member of the [[Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea|Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
*[[Ministry of Social Security (North Korea)|Minister of Public Security]]
*[[Jungjang|Lieutenant General]]
|-
|
|'''[[Kim Song-nam (politician)|Kim Song-nam]]'''<br />김성남<br /><small>(born 1953)</small>
|rowspan="1" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}}" height="99" |
|[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|29 September 2021
|
* Alternate Member of the [[Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea|Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
*Director of the International Department of the [[Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
|-
|[[File:Kim Yo-jong at Blue House (cropped).jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Kim Yo Jong]]'''<br />김여정<br /><small>(born 1987)</small>
|rowspan="1" style="background:{{party color|Workers' Party of Korea}}" height="99" |
|[[Workers' Party of Korea]]
|29 September 2021
|
* Deputy Department Director of the [[Propaganda and Agitation Department|Publicity and Information Department]] of the [[Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea]]
|}
==References==
{{Portal|North Korea|Politics
}}
<references />
===Works cited===
*{{cite book|title=Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea: Amended and supplemented on June 29, Juche 105 (2016), at the Fourth Session of the 13th Supreme People's Assembly|url=http://www.korean-books.com.kp/KBMbooks/en/book/politics/00000450.pdf#page=29|orig-year=1972|year=2016|ref={{SfnRef|Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea|2016}}}}
{{North Korean armed forces}}
{{Korea topics}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:Politics of North Korea]]
[[Category:Military of North Korea]]
[[Category:State Affairs Commission of North Korea]]
[[Category:2016 establishments in North Korea]]