Knowra Democratic People's Republic of Korea Democratic People's Republic of Korea The official name of North Korea, a state established in 1948 on the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. It is governed by a hereditary ruling family and the Workers' Party of Korea.
Workers' Party of Korea : The ruling political party of North Korea, founded in 1945 and led by the Kim family since the state's establishment. It directs the state and dominates political life under the country's one-party system.
Korea under Japanese rule : The period from 1910 to 1945 when the Korean Peninsula was annexed and governed by the Japanese Empire. Japanese colonial rule preceded Korea's division and the emergence of rival Korean states.
North Korea and weapons of mass destruction : North Korea's development and possession of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons capabilities. Its weapons programs are a defining issue in relations with neighboring states and the United States.
South Korea : The state officially called the Republic of Korea, established in 1948 in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. It is the other state created from Korea's postwar division and claims the same peninsula-wide heritage.
Supreme Leader of North Korea : The informal title for North Korea's paramount leader, who holds authority over the party, state, and armed forces. The Kim family's succession concentrates political authority in a single leadership position.
Division of Korea : The separation of Korea into northern and southern occupation zones in 1945, which became two states in 1948. The occupation-zone boundary set the territorial basis for the northern state.
North Korea sanctions : International and unilateral restrictions imposed on North Korea, chiefly in response to its nuclear and missile programs. Sanctions are a principal policy tool used to pressure the state over its weapons programs.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea–Republic of Korea relations : The relationship between North Korea and South Korea, shaped by division, armed conflict, rivalry, and periods of engagement. Their competing claims and changing relations distinguish the peninsula's two political systems.
National Defense Commission : A North Korean state organ that held the country's highest authority under the 1998 constitution until its replacement in 2016. Its former constitutional status illustrates how military institutions once framed the state's leadership structure.
Soviet occupation of North Korea : The Soviet military administration of northern Korea from 1945 to 1948 after Japan's surrender. Soviet occupation shaped the political institutions and leadership that preceded statehood.
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