After the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was formed in 1948, the initial constitution was based on the 1936 Soviet Constitution. Indeed, Joseph Stalin was personally involved in editing the constitution. 

The 1948 Constitution was replaced by a new Constitution on December 27th 1972. 

Under the new constitution, Kim Il-sung became the President of North Korea. Under the old constitution, there was no one designated as the head of state. 

The Constitution also included references to Juche ideology. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is guided in its activities by the Juche idea developed by President Kim Il Sung. The Juche idea means, in a nutshell, that the masters of the revolution and construction are the masses of the people and that they are also the motive force of the revolution and construction. 

The Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea established North Korea’s official name and its status as a socialist state.  It lays out the framework of the national government and the functions of the ruling state party, the Workers’ Party of Korea in relation to the Cabinet and Supreme People’s Assembly (the country’s parliament). 

The constitution is divided into 166 articles, split between three sections. 

Since its adoption in 1972, the Constitution has had revisions in 1998, 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2016.