The 4th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) was elected at the 4th Congress on 18 September 1961.[1] and remained in session until the election of the 5th Central Committee on 13 November 1970.[2] In between party congresses and specially convened conferences the Central Committee is the highest decision-making institution in the WPK and North Korea.[3] The Central Committee is not a permanent institution and delegates day-to-day work to elected bodies, such as the Political Committee, the Secretariat and the Inspection Committee in the case of the 4th Central Committee.[4] It convenes meetings, known as "Plenary Session of the [term] Central Committee", to discuss major policies.[5] Only full members have the right to vote, but if a full member cannot attend a plenary session, the person's spot is taken over by an alternate.[5] Plenary session can also be attended by non-members, such meetings are known as "Enlarged Plenary Session", to participate in the committee's discussions.[5]
Plenums
Plenum
Start–end
Length
Agenda of the plenum
1st Plenary Session
18 September 1961
1 day
1 item.
Election of officers and apparatus heads of the 4th Central Committee.
More than 100 people were expelled from the party for involvement in the Kapsan faction incident.
Pak Kum-chol was sent work in the countryside, and either committed suicide or sentenced to death for disobedience to Kim Il-sung.
The following Members and Candidate Members of the 4th Political Committee were expelled and sentenced to death for disobedience to Kim Il-sung: Yi Hyo-sun, Kim To-man, Pak Yong-guk, and Ho Sok-son.
16th Plenary Session
28 June – 3 July 1967
6 days
No agenda.
Debate on the realising of decisions of the 2nd Conference.
Debate on the interim report of the decisions of the 16th Plenary Session on labour administration and the efficient utilisation of the 8-hour work-day.
References for plenary sessions, apparatus heads, the Central Committee full- and candidate membership, Political Committee membership, Standing Committee membership, secretaries, Organisation Committee members, membership in the Inspection Commission, offices an individual held, retirement, if the individual in question is military personnel, female, has been expelled, is currently under investigation or has retired:
Suh, Dae-sook (1981). Korean Communism 1945–1980: A Reference Guide to the Political System (1st ed.). University Press of Hawaii. pp. 296–302. ISBN0-8248-0740-5. Information on the meeting dates of the plenary sessions, their official name, the meeting agenda and meeting decisions.
Suh, Dae-sook (1981). Korean Communism 1945–1980: A Reference Guide to the Political System (1st ed.). University Press of Hawaii. pp. 325–29. ISBN0-8248-0740-5. Information on the composition of the Central Committee and the composition of the elected bodies of the Central Committee.
Suh, Dae-sook (1981). Korean Communism 1945–1980: A Reference Guide to the Political System (1st ed.). University Press of Hawaii. pp. 401–19. ISBN0-8248-0740-5. Information on the composition of the Supreme People's Assembly and it's Standing Committee.
Suh, Dae-sook (1981). Korean Communism 1945–1980: A Reference Guide to the Political System (1st ed.). University Press of Hawaii. pp. 449–53. ISBN0-8248-0740-5. Information on the composition of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Government of the DPRK.
Suh, Dae-sook (1981). Korean Communism 1945–1980: A Reference Guide to the Political System (1st ed.). University Press of Hawaii. pp. 459–82. ISBN0-8248-0740-5. A list of every minister that served in the DPRK government since its inception until 1980.