List of political parties in North Korea
Template:Short description Template:Politics of North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is formally a one-party state under the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) as the sole governing party. There are also two other minor parties that must accept the WPK's "leading role" as a condition of their existence.
As of the latest election in 2019, three parties (WPK, Korean Social Democratic Party, and Chondoist Chongu Party) and one organization (Chongryon) are represented in the Supreme People's Assembly, the country's unicameral parliament.
Current parties
| Party | Template:Abbr seats (2014) | Status | Template:Abbr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background:Template:Party color"| | Template:Nowrap Template:Lang Chosŏn Rodongdang |
Template:Composition bar | Ruling party | Template:Sfn<ref name=IPU>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| style="background:Template:Party color"| | Template:Nowrap Template:Lang Chosŏn Sahoe Minjudang |
Template:Composition bar | Minor party, subordinate to the WPK | Template:Sfn<ref name=IPU/> |
| style="background:Template:Party color"| | Template:Nowrap Template:Lang Ch'ŏndogyo Ch'ŏngudang |
Template:Composition bar | Minor party, subordinate to the WPK | Template:Sfn<ref name=IPU/> |
| Template:Nowrap Template:Lang Chaeilbon Chosŏnin Ch'ongryŏnhaphoe |
Template:Composition bar | Not a party but a North Korean-aligned organization for Zainichi Koreans in Japan. Despite this, it still appoints members of the SPA. | Template:Sfn<ref name=IPU/> | |
Former parties
| Party | Status | Template:Abbr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Nowrap Template:Lang Chosŏn-bulgyodo-ryŏnmaeng |
Pseudo-party, last time won a seat with certainty in 1972 | Template:Sfn | |
| style="background:Template:Party color"| | Template:Nowrap Template:Lang Minju Tongnipdang |
Participated in elections between 1948 and 1967, last time won a seat with certainty in 1962 | Template:Sfn |
| Template:Nowrap Template:Lang (東路人民黨) Dongro Inmindang |
Participated in elections between 1948 and 1967, last time won a seat with certainty in 1962 | Template:Sfn | |
| Template:Nowrap Template:Lang Gonminhoe |
Participated in elections between 1957 and 1967, originally South Korea-based party, last time won a seat with certainty in 1957 and in 1962 | Template:Sfn<ref name=Tertitskiy2017/> | |
| Template:Nowrap Template:Lang Inmin Konghwadang |
South Korea-based party, participated in elections between 1948 and 1967, last time won a seat with certainty in 1957 | Template:Sfn<ref name=Tertitskiy2017>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| style="background:Template:Party color"| | Template:Nowrap Template:Lang (動勞人民黨) Kŭllo Inmindang |
South Korea-based party, last time won a seat with certainty in 1962 | <ref name=Tertitskiy2017/> |
Dissolved parties
| Party | Status | Template:Abbr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| style="background:Template:Party color"| | Template:Nowrap Template:Lang Pukchosŏn Rodongdang |
Merged with the Workers' Party of South Korea in 1949 to form the Workers' Party of Korea. | <ref>Template:Cite book</ref> |
| style="background:Template:Party color"| | Template:Nowrap Template:Lang Chosŏn Sinmindang |
Merged with the Communist Party of Korea in 1946 to form the Workers' Party of South Korea. | <ref name=Hoare2012>Template:Cite book</ref> |
| style="background:Template:Party color"| | Template:Nowrap Template:Lang Chosŏn Kongsandang |
Merged with the New People's Party of Korea in 1946 to form the Workers' Party of South Korea. | <ref name=Hoare2012/> |
North Korean opposition parties
There is currently no known organized opposition within North Korea that is independently verifiable. However, there are various exiled dissident groups that advocate for regime change. In 2024, U.S state-run news outlet Radio Free Asia claimed there may be opposition parties within North Korea.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Free Joseon
- North Korea Freedom Coalition
- Fighters for a Free North Korea
- North Korean People's Liberation Front
- New Joseon (Free Democratic Party)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>