<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Korea, North<nl>Government</hdr><body>
<list>
<item><hi format=bold>Names:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional long form:</hi> Democratic People's Republic of Korea
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional short form:</hi> North Korea
<item>• <hi format=ital>local long form:</hi> Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
<item>• <hi format=ital>local short form:</hi> none
</list>
<item><hi format=bold>Abbreviation:</hi> DPRK
<item><hi format=bold>Digraph:</hi> KN
<item><hi format=bold>Type:</hi> Communist state; Stalinist dictatorship
<item><hi format=bold>Capital:</hi> P'yongyang
<item><hi format=bold>Administrative divisions:</hi> 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 3 special cities* (jikhalsi, singular and plural); Chagang-do (Chagang Province), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong Province), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong Province), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae Province), Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae Province), Kaesong-si* (Kaesong City), Kangwon-do (Kangwon Province), Namp'o-si* (Namp'o City), P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan Province), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan Province), P'yongyang-si* (P'yongyang City), Yanggang-do (Yanggang Province)
<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 9 September 1948
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>note:</hi> 15 August 1945, date of independence from the Japanese and celebrated in North Korea as National Liberation Day
</list>
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> DPRK Foundation Day, 9 September (1948)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> based on German civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 17 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> President KIM Il-song (national leader since 1948, president since 28 December 1972); designated successor KIM Chong-il (son of president, born 16 February 1942); election last held 24 May 1990 (next to be held by NA 1995); results—President KIM Il-song was reelected without opposition
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Premier KANG Song-san (since December 1992)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> State Administration Council; appointed by the Supreme People's Assembly
<item><hi format=bold>Supreme People's Assembly (Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui):</hi> elections last held on 7-9 April 1993 (next to be held NA); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(687 total) the KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without opposition; minor parties hold a few seats
<item><hi format=bold>Judicial branch:</hi> Central Court
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> major party—Korean Workers' Party (KWP), KIM Il-song, general secretary, and his son, KIM Chong-il, secretary, Central Committee; Korean Social Democratic Party, KIM Pyong-sik, chairman; Chondoist Chongu Party, YU Mi-yong, chairwoman
<item><hi format=bold>Member of:</hi> ESCAP, FAO, G-77, ICAO, IFAD, IMF (observer), IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
<item><hi format=bold>Diplomatic representation in US:</hi> none
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star
