The Most Famous

POLITICIANS from North Korea

This page contains a list of the greatest North Korean Politicians. The pantheon dataset contains 19,576 Politicians, 77 of which were born in North Korea. This makes North Korea the birth place of the 42nd most number of Politicians behind Peru, and Canada.

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary North Korean Politicians of all time. This list of famous North Korean Politicians is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of North Korean Politicians.

1. Taejo of Joseon (1335 - 1408)

With an HPI of 74.90, Taejo of Joseon is the most famous North Korean Politician. His biography has been translated into 46 different languages on wikipedia.

Taejo (Korean: 태조; Hanja: 太祖; 4 November 1335 – 27 June 1408), personal name Yi Sŏng-gye (이성계; 李成桂), later Yi Tan (이단; 李旦), was the founder and first monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. After overthrowing the Goryeo dynasty, he ascended to the throne in 1392 and abdicated six years later during a strife between his sons. He was honored as Emperor Go (고황제; 高皇帝) following the establishment of the Korean Empire. Taejo emphasized continuity over change. No new institutions were created, and no massive purges occurred during his reign. His new dynasty was largely dominated by the same ruling families and officials that had served the previous regime. He re-established amicable ties with Japan and improved relations with Ming China.

2. Taejong of Joseon (1367 - 1422)

With an HPI of 70.96, Taejong of Joseon is the 2nd most famous North Korean Politician. His biography has been translated into 33 different languages.

Taejong (Korean: 태종; Hanja: 太宗; 16 May 1367 – 10 May 1422), personal name Yi Pang-wŏn (이방원; 李芳遠), was the third monarch of the Joseon of Korea and the father of Sejong the Great. He was the fifth son of King Taejo, the founder of the dynasty. Before ascending to the throne, he was known as Prince Jeongan (정안군; 靖安君).

3. Gwangjong of Goryeo (925 - 975)

With an HPI of 70.64, Gwangjong of Goryeo is the 3rd most famous North Korean Politician. His biography has been translated into 31 different languages.

Gwangjong (925 – 4 July 975), personal name Wang So, was the fourth monarch of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea.

4. Injo of Joseon (1595 - 1649)

With an HPI of 69.66, Injo of Joseon is the 4th most famous North Korean Politician. His biography has been translated into 24 different languages.

Injo (Korean: 인조; Hanja: 仁祖; 7 December 1595 – 17 June 1649), personal name Yi Jong (이종; 李倧), was the 16th monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was a grandson of King Seonjo and the eldest son of Prince Jeongwon. He ascended to the throne after leading a coup d'état against his uncle, Gwanghaegun, in 1623. Today, Injo is considered a weak and incompetent king, as during his reign the country experienced Yi Gwal's Rebellion, the Later Jin invasion, the Qing invasion, and an economic recession, while the government was corrupt and ineffective.

5. Kim Jong-un (b. 1983)

With an HPI of 68.78, Kim Jong-un is the 5th most famous North Korean Politician. His biography has been translated into 132 different languages.

Kim Jong Un (born 8 January 1982, 1983 or 1984) is a North Korean politician who has been supreme leader of North Korea since December 2011 and the general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012. He is the third son of Kim Jong Il, who was the second supreme leader of North Korea, and a grandson of Kim Il Sung, the founder and first supreme leader of the country. From late 2010, Kim was viewed as the successor to the North Korean leadership. Following his father's death in December 2011, state television announced Kim as the "Great Successor". Kim holds the titles of General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs. He is also a member of the Presidium of the WPK Politburo, the highest decision-making body in the country. In July 2012, Kim was promoted to the highest rank of Marshal in the Korean People's Army, consolidating his position as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. North Korean state media often refer to him as "Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un" or "Marshal Kim Jong Un". He has promoted the policy of byungjin, similar to Kim Il Sung's policy from the 1960s, referring to the simultaneous development of both the economy and the country's nuclear weapons program. He has also revived the structures of the WPK, expanding the party's power at the expense of the military leadership. Kim rules North Korea as a totalitarian state, and his leadership has followed the same cult of personality as his father and grandfather. In 2014, a United Nations Human Rights Council report suggested that Kim could be put on trial for crimes against humanity. According to reports, he has ordered the purge and execution of several North Korean officials including his uncle, Jang Song-thaek, in 2013. He is also widely believed to have ordered the assassination of his half-brother, Kim Jong-nam, in Malaysia in 2017. He has presided over an expansion of the consumer economy, construction projects and tourist attractions in North Korea. Kim expanded the country's nuclear weapons program, which led to heightened tensions with the United States and South Korea, as well as China. In 2018 and 2019, Kim took part in summits with former South Korean president Moon Jae-in and former U.S. president Donald Trump, leading to a brief thaw between North Korea and the two countries, though the negotiations ultimately broke down without progress on reunification of Korea or nuclear disarmament. He has claimed success in combating the COVID-19 pandemic in North Korea, as the country did not report any confirmed cases until May 2022, although several South Korean observers have questioned this claim.

6. Jeongjong of Joseon (1357 - 1419)

With an HPI of 67.95, Jeongjong of Joseon is the 6th most famous North Korean Politician. His biography has been translated into 31 different languages.

Jeongjong (Korean: 정종; Hanja: 定宗; 1 July 1357 – 26 September 1419), personal name Yi Bang-gwa (이방과; 李芳果), later Yi Gyeong (이경; 李曔), was the second monarch of the Joseon of Korea. He was the second son of King Taejo, the founder of the dynasty. Before ascending to the throne, he was known as Prince Yeongan (영안군; 永安君).

7. Taejo of Goryeo (877 - 943)

With an HPI of 67.30, Taejo of Goryeo is the 7th most famous North Korean Politician. His biography has been translated into 38 different languages.

Taejo (Korean: 태조; Hanja: 太祖; 31 January 877 – 4 July 943), personal name Wang Kŏn (왕건; 王建), also known as Taejo Wang Kŏn (태조 왕건; 太祖王建; lit. 'Great Progenitor Wang Kŏn'), was the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty of Korea. He ruled from 918 to 943, achieving unification of the Later Three Kingdoms in 936.

8. Kim Yong-nam (b. 1928)

With an HPI of 66.88, Kim Yong-nam is the 8th most famous North Korean Politician. His biography has been translated into 40 different languages.

Kim Yong-nam (Korean: 김영남; born 4 February 1928) is a North Korean retired politician who served as the President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea, from 1998 until 2019. Previously, he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1983 to 1998. He was elected a member of the Presidium of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in 2010.

9. Gongmin of Goryeo (1330 - 1374)

With an HPI of 66.70, Gongmin of Goryeo is the 9th most famous North Korean Politician. His biography has been translated into 25 different languages.

Gongmin (Korean: 공민; Hanja: 恭愍; 23 May 1330 – 27 October 1374), also known by his Mongolian name, Bayan Temür, was 31st ruler of Goryeo from 1351 to 1374. He was the second son of King Chungsuk.

10. Jang Song-thaek (1946 - 2013)

With an HPI of 66.36, Jang Song-thaek is the 10th most famous North Korean Politician. His biography has been translated into 36 different languages.

Jang Song-thaek (January or February 1946 – 12 December 2013) was a North Korean politician. He was married to Kim Kyong-hui, the only daughter of North Korean premier Kim Il Sung and his first wife Kim Jong Suk, and only sister of North Korean general secretary Kim Jong Il. He was therefore the uncle (by marriage) of the current leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un. The extent of Jang Song-thaek's power and position has not been confirmed in the West. However, in 2008 South Korean government officials and academic North Korea experts suggested that he had de facto leadership over North Korea while Kim Jong Il's health was declining and when Kim subsequently died. Jang was a vice-chairman of the National Defence Commission, a position considered second only to that of the Supreme Leader. He is believed to have been promoted to four-star general around the time of Kim Jong-Il's death in December 2011, as his first appearance in uniform was while visiting Kim lying in state. Jang was considered a "key policy adviser" to Kim Jong Un. In December 2013, Jang was abruptly accused of being a counter-revolutionary and was stripped of all his posts and expelled from the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). His photos were removed from official media and his image digitally removed from photos with other North Korean leaders. On 13 December, North Korean state media announced he had been executed by firing squad.

People

Pantheon has 86 people classified as North Korean politicians born between 38 BC and 1988. Of these 86, 23 (26.74%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living North Korean politicians include Kim Jong-un, Kim Yong-nam, and Choe Ryong-hae. The most famous deceased North Korean politicians include Taejo of Joseon, Taejong of Joseon, and Gwangjong of Goryeo. As of April 2024, 9 new North Korean politicians have been added to Pantheon including Choe Thae-bok, Gangjong of Goryeo, and Sinjong of Goryeo.