Pak Pong-ju

Infobox Korean name|context=north
hangul=박봉주
hanja=朴鳳柱/朴奉珠
mr=Pak Pong-ju
rr=Bak Bong-ju

Pak Pong-ju (born October 24 1939 in North Hamgyong) served as the Premier of North Korea since elected by the DPRK's Supreme People's Assembly on September 3, 2003 [cite news|url=http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2003/200309/news09/04.htm#11|title=1st Session of 11th SPA of DPRK Held|publisher=KCNA|date=2003-09-03|accessdate=2007-04-14] until April 11, 2007.

Pak began his career in 1962 as manager of the Yongchon food factory in North Pyongan province. He became an alternative member of the ruling Korean Workers' Party (KWP) Central Committee in October 1980, and chief of the Namhung Youth Chemical Combine Committee in July 1983. In May 1993, he became vice director of the KWP's Light Industries Department, and in March 1994, he was the vice director of the party's Economic Policy Supervisory Department. In July of that year, Pak ranked 188th out of 273 members on the funeral committee of the late leader Kim Il-sung, indicating that he was on the periphery of the elite hierarchy. However, in September 1998, he was appointed to the chemical-industries portfolio under premier Hong Song-nam, and replaced him five years later.

On April 11, 2007, the Korean Central News Agency reported that during the 5th session of the 11th Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, Pak Pong-ju was "relieved … of premiership" and Kim Yong-il elected the new premier. [cite news|url=http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2007/200704/news04/12.htm#1|title=5th Session of 11th SPA of DPRK Held|publisher=KCNA|date=2007-04-11|accessdate=2007-04-14] He had not been seen in public since May 2006. It is rumoured that his was removed from office because he misused oil funds to be used for the farming sector [cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10433937&ref=rss|title=North Korean Premier falls from grace and loses job|date=2007-04-13|accessdate=2007-04-14|publisher=Reuters] , or that he was too heavily focused on economic development suggestions from the People's Republic of China, instead of home-grown ideas. [cite news|url=http://www.stratfor.com/products/premium/read_article.php?id=287183&selected=Analyses|title=North Korea: New Premier, Changing Priorities|date=2007-04-12|accessdate=2007-04-16|publisher=Stratfor]

As Premier, Pak Pong-ju was the head of government in the DPRK, and formed the top executive leadership of the DPRK with other executive officials. The other branch of the executive government is the National Defense Commission of North Korea, led by Chairman of the National Defence Commission Kim Jong-il. As premier, he was responsible for organizing the DPRK's cabinet and appointed ministers and vice-premiers upon confirmation by the SPA. [cite web|url=http://www.novexcn.com/dprk_constitution_98.html|title=Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (Full Text) 1998|accessdate=2007-04-14] Prior to becoming Premier, Pak had served as Chemical Industry Minister.

References