1st Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea

None Flag of the Workers' Party of North Korea (1946).svg 180px Flag of the Workers' Party of North Korea 1st Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee 43 Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea 1st Congress (1946) 30 August 1946 30 March 1948(1946 8 30 1948 3 30 y) Kim Tu-bong Kim Il SungChu Yong-haHo Ka-i 43 5 members 13 members CPNK 2nd The 1st Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea (WPNK) (1차 북조선로동당중앙위원회) was elected by the 1st Congress on 30 August 1946 through the merger of the Communist Party of North Korea and the New People's Party of Korea,Suh 1981 282–3 and remained in session until the election of the 2nd Central Committee on 30 March 1948.Suh 1981 285–6 In between party congresses and specially convened conferences the Central Committee is the highest decision-making institution in the party and North Korea.Suh 1981 271 & 316–7 The 1st Central Committee was not a permanent institution and delegated day-to-day work to elected central guidance bodies, such as the Political Committee, the Standing Committee and the Organisation Committee (membership not disclosed).Suh 1981 271Scalapino Lee 1972 357 It convened meetings, known as Plenary Sessions of the 1st Central Committee, to discuss major policies.Suh 1981 277 A plenary session could be attended by non-members.Suh 1981 277 These meetings are known as Enlarged Plenary Sessions.Suh 1981 277 The party rules approved at the 1st Congress stipulated that the Central Committee needed to convene for a plenary session every third month.Suh 1981 276 In total, the 1st Central Committee convened for twelve plenary sessions, of which eight were convened in 1947.Suh 1981 276–7 Forty-three members were elected to the 1st Central Committee, of which thirty-one were re-elected at the 2nd Congress.Suh 1981 312 Its members convened for the 1st Plenary Session on 31 August 1946 and elected the 1st Organisation Committee, 1st Standing Committee and the 1st Political Committee, and voted in Kim Tu-bong as the WPNK Chairman and Kim Il Sung and Chu Yong-ha were elected vice chairmen.Lankov 2002 31 Despite their formal roles, real powers remained in Kim Il Sung's hands, and Kim Tu-bong played a more ceremonial role due to his unwillingness to partake in the day-to-day management of party affairs.Lankov 2002 31 In the 1st Plenary Session's aftermath, the party began establishing state structures known as provisional people's committees throughout the country, and in 1947 national elections to the People's Assembly was organised.Scalapino Lee 1972 367–70 At its first plenary session, the assembly elected a Presidium and designated Kim Tu-bong as its chairman and appointed the People's Committee (the government) and elected Kim Il Sung as its chairman.Scalapino Lee 1972 371 Of twenty-two government members, sixteen were members of the WPNK.Scalapino Lee 1972 371 A feature of early North Korean politics was its factionalism.Lankov 2002 82 Four loosely defined factions had taken shape by this time; Kim Il Sung's partisans, domestic communists, the Yanan group and the Soviet Koreans.While a hallmark of early North Korean politics is factionalism, scholars Scalapino and Lee note that "To place too much emphasis upon factional affiliation is probably a mistake, especially concerning the so-called Soviet and Yan'an factions. Defectors have often stated that the factional divisions were neither as clear-cut nor as meaningful in all cases as non-Communist sources alleged. Moreover, as a careful survey of this period reveals, increasingly the only meaningful faction was coming to be Kim Il Sung. The crucial factor was one's relationship to Kim, irrespective of background. Nevertheless, there were differences in background, educational experience, and even culture that stemmed from the heterogeneous nature of the Korean revolutionary movement. And this did constitute a political problem, as the Korean Communists readily admitted. While factionalism may not have been as important as some South Korean writers have indicated, and undoubtedly involved many more ambivalent and poorly defined factions, it remained a crucial issue in this period."Scalapino Lee 1972 479–80 "note"Lankov 2002 82 The partisans, comprising soldiers who had fought Japanese rule with Kim Il Sung, lacked both theoretical and organisational experience to take leading party offices.Lankov 2002 82 They were therefore poorly represented in the 1st Central Committee.Lankov 2002 82 The domestic faction, composed of indigenous communists and leading members of the Workers' Party of South Korea, were underrepresented due to their underground activities in South Korea.Lankov 2002 82 Korean revolutionaries based in China during Japanese rule, known as the Yanan faction, had the most representation on the committee.Lankov 2002 82 The Soviet Koreans, composed of Koreans who were either Soviet-born or lived there during Japanese rule, also had significant representation.Lankov 2002 82 The conflict between these factions would intensify over the years, with Soviet Korean Yu Song-gol stating that he "as early as 1947... overheard how former partisans not only mentioned the [Yanans] and 'Soviets' with a great deal of animosity but also expressed the desire to be rid of them in due course."Lankov 2002 88 These factional conflicts were rarely based on policy differences but rather on personal interests and the struggle for power.Lankov 2002 89 Scholar Andrey Lankov notes that "at least [twenty-eight] members" of the 1st Central Committee "became victims of Kim Il Sung's purges. The real number was probably even higher since, in many cases, purges were not made public."Lankov 2002 82 A conflict between Kim Il Sung's partisan faction and Pak Hon-yong's domestic faction had been brewing since the North Korean Branch Bureau's formation in October 1945.Lankov 2002 89 The leading domestic communist in the North, O Ki-sop, was accused of making "leftist and rightist errors" at the 3rd Enlarged Plenary Session.Scalapino Lee 1972 377 Vice Chairman Chu Yong-ha further elaborated on the criticism and claimed that "O had attempted to apply labour union principles under capitalism to the socialist setting of North Korea, thereby deliberately inciting unthinking workers."Scalapino Lee 1972 377 O Ki-sop defended himself by citing the works of Vladimir Lenin and claimed that "[if I am such] a pain in the neck then why not just pin the label of Trotskyite on [me]?"Scalapino Lee 1972 378 While Pak Il-u supposedly rose in his defence and called for a committee to study the Lenin work in question, Kim Il Sung stated that no such committee was necessary due to O Ki-sop's past mistakes.Scalapino Lee 1972 378 The criticism of O Ki-sop and the attacks on the indigenous North Korean communist movement that had remained active in Korea during Japanese colonialism were supported by the partisans, Soviet Koreans and the Yanans.Scalapino Lee 1972 378 Plenary sessions + Plenary sessions of the 1st Central CommitteeSuh 1981 282–5 Plenum Date Length Agenda 1st Plenary Session 31 August 1946 1 day Elections of the officers and apparatus heads of the 1st Central Committee. 2nd Enlarged Plenary Session 25 September 1946 1 day Report by Kim Il Sung on the election to the People's Committee. 3rd Enlarged Plenary Session 25 November 1946 1 day Debate on the party's present tasks. Debate on the elections held on 3 November. Concerning the strengthening of the party's organisation and political educational projects. 4th Enlarged Plenary Session 2 February 1947 1 day Debate on the election of the people's committees at the myon and ri administrative levels. 5th Plenary Session Not made public Not made public Not made public 6th Enlarged Plenary Session 15 March 1947 1 day Report by Kim Il Sung on party work to realise economic reconstruction and development. Debate on the party's duty to strengthen the people's rights. Report concerning the grave errors of some party organisations in some party projects. 7th Enlarged Plenary Session 16 June 1947 1 day Debate on participating in and cooperating with the US–Soviet Joint Commission on Korea on establishing an interim Korean government. Election of a representative to the US–Soviet Joint Commission. Kim Il Sung was elected the Representative to the US–Soviet Joint Commission Election of an ad hoc committee to respond to the US–Soviet Joint Commission's questionnaires. 8th Plenary Session 1 July 1947 1 day Debate on the US–Soviet Joint Commission on Korea resolutions. Approving the reply on Article 5 and Article 6 in the "Organizations of the Interim Government" of the US–Soviet Joint Commission. 9th Plenary Session Not made public Not made public Not made public 10th Plenary Session 13 September 1947 1 day Discussion on the role of the party leadership in projects of the mass organisations. 11th Plenary Session 23 December 1947 1 day On projects concerning every party leading organ. Discussion on the gathering of the 2nd Congress. Election of a bylaw draft committee to amend the party platform and rules. Concerning the policy of realising the first and fourth periods of the 1948 economic plan. Concerning organisational problems. 12th Plenary Session 9 February 1948 1 day Report by Kim Il Sung on every party organisation's responsibility to realise the 1948 economic plan. Debate on the draft of the interim constitution of Korea. Debate on postponing the 2nd Congress. Members +Members of the 1st Central CommitteeSuh 1981 316–8 . This reference informs about Central Committee membership, Politburo membership, Standing Committee membership, death of members and reelection to 2nd Central Committee.Suh 1981 459–82 . This reference informs about the composition of every North Korean government from 1948–80.http://db.history.go.kr/item/level.do?sort=levelId&dir=ASC&start=1&limit=20&page=1&pre_page=1&setId=-1&prevPage=6&prevLimit=&itemId=kn&types=&synonym=off&chinessChar=on&brokerPagingInfo=&levelId=kn_054_0080_0030&position=-1 Korean ko:III. Organization and Role of the Provisional People's Committee of North Korea III. 북조선임시인민위원회 조직과 역할 National Institute of Korean History 8 February 2021 8 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210208204431/http://db.history.go.kr/item/level.do?sort=levelId&dir=ASC&start=1&limit=20&page=1&pre_page=1&setId=-1&prevPage=6&prevLimit=&itemId=kn&types=&synonym=off&chinessChar=on&brokerPagingInfo=&levelId=kn_054_0080_0030&position=-1 This reference informs on the composition of the People's Committee, the provisional government of North Korea 1946–8, and those that held government offices within it.Paik 1993 823–6 . This reference informs the reader about the composition of the North Korean military leadership at the time of the 1st Central Committee.Paik 1993 179 . This reference informs the reader on the background of each member of the 1st Central Committee.Research Institute of East-West Problems 1983 565–6 & 576 . This reference informs on the offices held by Pak Chong-ae and Pak Il-u during the term of the 1st Central Committee. Rank Name Korean 2nd CC Inner-composition Background 1st POC 1st STC 1 Kim Tu-bong 김두봉 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. Member Member Yanan 2 Kim Il Sung 김일성 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. Member Member Partisan 3 Chu Yong-ha 주영하 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. Member Member Domestic 4 Choe Chang-ik 최창익 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. Member Member Yanan 5 Ho Ka-i 허가이 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. Member Member Soviet 6 Kim Chang-man 김창만 Not Not reelected to the 2nd Central Committee. — Member Yanan 7 Ho Jong-suk 허정숙 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Yanan 8 Kim Yong-tae 김용태 Not Not reelected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Domestic 9 Pak Chang-sik 박창식 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — Member Soviet 10 Pak Chong-ae 박정애 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — Member Domestic 11 Kim Chaek 김책 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — Member Partisan 12 Mu Chuong 무정 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Yanan 13 Yi Chun-am 이춘암 Not Not reelected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Yanan 14 An Kil 안길 Died Died of natural causes on 13 December 1947. — — Partisan 15 Kim Ye-pil 김예필 Not Not reelected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Yanan 16 Kim Il 김일 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — Member Partisan 17 Pak Hyo-sam 박효삼 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — Member Yanan 18 Chang Sun-myong 장선명 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Soviet 19 Kim Yol 김열 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Soviet 20 Kim Chae-uk 김채욱 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — Member Soviet 21 Yun Kong-hum ko 윤공흠 윤공흠 Not Not reelected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Yan'an 22 Han Il-mu 한일무 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Soviet 23 Tae Song-su 태성수 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Soviet 24 Han Sol-ya 한설야 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Soviet 25 Choe Kyong-dok 최경덕 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Domestic 26 Kang Chin-gon 강진곤 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Domestic 27 Chang Si-u 장시우 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Domestic 28 Chong Tu-hyon 정두현 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Domestic 29 Yim To-jun 임도준 Not Not reelected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — — 30 Yim Hae 임해 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Partisan 31 O Ki-sop 오기섭 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Domestic 32 Kim Uk-chin 김욱진 Not Not reelected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Domestic 33 Yi Sun-gun 이순금 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Domestic 34 Kim Kyo-yong 김교용 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Partisan 35 Myong Hi-jo 명희조 Not Not reelected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Yanan 36 Han Pin 한빈 Not Not reelected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Yanan 37 Yi Chong-ik 이종익 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — — 38 Chon Song-hwa 전송화 Not Not reelected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Soviet 39 Kim Wol-song 김월송 Not Not reelected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Domestic 40 Chang Chong-sik 장종식 Not Not reelected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Domestic 41 Kim Min-san 김민산 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — — 42 Pak Hun-il 박헌일 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — — Yanan 43 Pak Il-u 박일우 Reelected Elected to the 2nd Central Committee. — Member Yanan Notes References Citations Bibliography Books: Lankov Andrey From Stalin to Kim Il Sung: The Formation of North Korea, 1945–1960 Rutgers University Press 2002 978-0-8135-3117-5 Scalapino Robert Lee Chong-sik https://archive.org/details/communisminkorea0000scal/page/72/mode/2up Communism in Korea: The Movement University of California Press 1972 978-0-520-02080-1 Suh, Dae-sook CITEREFSuh1981 Korean Communism 1945–1980: A Reference Guide to the Political System University Press of Hawaii 1981 978-0-8248-0740-5 1st Dissertations: Paik Hak Soon 1993 North Korean State Formation, 1945–1950 University of Pennsylvania 187455561 https://repository.upenn.edu/dissertations/AAI9413886/ 2021-02-17 2022-03-28 https://web.archive.org/web/20220328163347/https://repository.upenn.edu/dissertations/AAI9413886/ live Journals: Research Institute of East-West Problems 304 https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA368792.pdf North Korea: Biographic Dictionary (Part II) 24 August 1983 Foreign Broadcast Information Service 880847287 Korean Affairs Report 3 October 2020 live https://web.archive.org/web/20201003104133/https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA368792.pdf Category:1st Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea Category:1946 in North Korea Category:1946 establishments in North Korea Category:1948 disestablishments in North Korea