The following is a list of national meetings of the Workers' Party of Korea. This article defines national meetings as party congresses () and conferences of party representatives ().
The Party Congress is nominally the highest body of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) according to its charter. The charter stated specifically that it should convene at least every fifth year; however, the congress has historically never managed to be convened in that time frame. There was a gap of 36 years between the 6th Congress and the 7th Congress. However, two party conferences were convened in the period 2010–2012. The 3rd Party Conference in 2010 formally deleted the five-year clause from the party charter, but it was later restored at the 8th Congress in 2021.
The Congress hears the reports of central authorities, makes amendments to the party's charter, sets the party's political line, elects the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, elects the Central Committee and elects the Central Auditing Commission. The 1st Plenary Session of the elected Central Committee then elects the Politburo, the Secretariat, the Central Military Commission and other bodies of the Central Committee. Despite this, as Fyodor Tertitskiy notes, "When it comes to the supreme leader of North Korea, it is not his position that makes him a leader; it is the person who makes a position one of leadership. Kim Jong Un may be called supreme commander, first chairman or even God-Emperor — it does not matter; he is in charge by right of bloodline." For example, Kim Jong Un's election as Chairman of the WPK at the 7th Party Congress did not mean that said Congress was previously empowered to make decisions independent of Kim Jong Un.
The Party Conferences functions as a smaller scale version of a Party Congress and serves as the Leninist counterpart to an extraordinary general meeting. It is typically convened to introduce new leadership or policy directions between regular congresses. As such meetings are less formal and less costly to organize, they are often held when a full Congress is unnecessary.https://www.nknews.org/2014/12/the-first-party-conference-and-purge-of-58/
Keys AbbreviationsCCCentral Committee of the Workers' Party of KoreaFMFull member (a member with voting rights).AMAlternate member (a member without voting rights).Political ReportPolitical Report to the Central Committee, a document which briefs delegates about the period since the last congress and future work.CharterCharter of the Workers' Party of Korea, the rules and regulations which governs the WPK.PMRParty members represented at the congress by delegates (the party membership at the time).NDNot disclosed by the WPK.
Meetings Congresses Congress Duration(start—end) Delegates CCelected Political Report(presented by) Charter PMR Location 1st Congress3 days1946 election 28 August–30 August 1946 801 43 Kim Il Sung Adopted 336,399 Pyongyang 2nd Congress4 days1947–1948 election 27 March–30 March 1948 999 63 Kim Il Sung Amendment 750,000 Pyongyang 3rd Congress7 days1955–1956 election 23 April–29 April 1956 916 71 FM–43 AM Kim Il Sung Amendment 1,164,945Pyongyang 4th Congress8 days1960–1961 election 11 September–18 September 1961 1,657 VD–93 NVD 85 FM–50 AM Kim Il Sung Amendment 1,311,563Pyongyang 5th Congress12 days1969–1970 election 2 November–13 November 1970 1,734 117 FM–55 AM Kim Il Sung Amendment 1,600,000Pyongyang 6th Congress5 days1979–1980 election 10 October–14 October 1980 3,062 VD–137 NVD 145 FM–103 AM Kim Il Sung Amendment NDApril 25 House of Culture Pyongyang 7th Congress4 days2016 election 6 May–9 May 2016 3,467 VD–200 NVD 129 FM–106 AM Kim Jong Un Amendment NDApril 25 House of Culture Pyongyang 8th Congress6 days2020–21 election 5 January–10 January 2021 5,000 VD–2,000 NVD 139 FM–111 AM Kim Jong Un Amendment ND April 25 House of Culture Pyongyang9th Congress6 days2021–26 election19 February–25 February 20265,000 VD–2,000 NVD139 FM–111 AMKim Jong UnAmendmentNDApril 25 House of Culture Pyongyang
Conferences Conference Duration(start—end) CCelected Charter(amendments) Decisions 1st Conference4 days1958 election 3 March–6 March 1958 — — 1) "On First Five-year People’s Economic Development Plan"2) "On Further Strengthening Party Unity and Cohesion"3) On "organizational issues" 2nd Conference4 days1966 election 3 October–6 October 1966 — — 1) "Current Situation and Our Party's Tasks"2) "On Imminent Tasks of Socialist Economic Construction"3) "On the Vietnam Issue" 3rd Conference1 day2010 election 28 September 2010 124 FM–105 AM Amendment 1) "Decision To Unchangingly Elect High Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il as the WPK General Secretary"2) "Decision on Revising the WPK Charter"3) "Election of members to the central leadership organs of the WPK" 4th Conference1 day2012 election 11 April 2012 — Amendment ND
References Specific
Bibliography Articles and journals:
General Information on congresses & conferences, number of delegates, number of people elected to CCs, party membership, the individual who presented the Political Report and information on when the congress was convened can be found in these sources: