Constitution of North Korea

North Korea

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of North Korea

Constitution Juche Eternal President Kim Il-sung Supreme Leader Kim Jong-il Supreme People's Assembly Chairman of the Presidium Kim Yong-nam National Defence Commission Chairman Kim Jong-il First Vice Chairman vacant Government Premier Choe Yong-rim Subdivisions Judiciary Political parties Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee General Secretary Kim Jong-il Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland Korean Social Democratic Party Chondoist Chongu Party Elections: 2003, 2009 Korean reunification Human rights Foreign relations Songun policy

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The Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), commonly known as North Korea.

Previous constitutions were adopted in 1948,^[1] 1972,^[2] 1992,^[3] and 1998.^[4] The constitution currently in force dates from April 2009^[5] and lays out the framework of the national government and the functions of the ruling state party, the Workers' Party of Korea in relation to the government's operations.

The constitution establishes North Korea's official name and its status as a socialist state.^[6] The country is defined as a "dictatorship of the people's democracy" (a wording that closely follows the Chinese model of the people's democratic dictatorship) under the leadership of the Workers' Party. It guarantees civil and political rights, such as freedom of expression, the right to elect officials, the right to a fair trial, and freedom of religion. It asserts the right of every citizen to work, education, food, and health care.

The constitution is divided into three parts with each of them having several articles.

2009 revision

According to Alejandro Cao de Benos, President of the Korean Friendship Association, all references to communism were not stripped from the constitution as was reported in some Western media.^[7]

The new, amended in 2009 version of DPRK Constitution is six articles longer than the previous version adopted in of 1998. Section 2 of Chapter VI “Chairman of the National Defence Commission” is entirely new. In Articles 29 and 40 (Economy and Culture respectively) the word 공산주의 (“communism”) was dropped.^[8]

References

1. ^ Kim, Hyung-chan; Kim, Tong-gyu (2005). Human remolding in North Korea: a social history of education‎. University Press of America. p. 134.
2. ^ Constitution of North Korea (1972). Wikisource.
3. ^ Hale, Christopher (2002). 'North Korea in Evolution: The Correlation Between the Legal Framework and the Changing Dynamic of Politics and the Economy.' Korea Observer, Vol. 33 No. 3
4. ^ North Korea drops Communism from its Constitution. Azerbaijan Press Agency. September 28, 2009.
5. ^ Chi-dong, Lee (September 28, 2009). N. Korea's revised constitution gives more power to Kim Jong-il . Yonhap.
6. ^ Scalapino, Robert A.; Kim, Chun-yŏp (1983). North Korea today: strategic and domestic issues. Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley, Center for Korean Studies. p. 24.
7. ^ KFA Forum "DPRK Constitution changes" 14 October 2009
8. ^ http://leonidpetrov.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/dprk-has-quietly-amended-its-constitution/

External links

• Current text of the Constitution (April 2009) in English