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North Korea may reinstate 'president' title for leader Kim: 38 North

Published: 04 Feb. 2026, 16:47 Updated: 04 Feb. 2026, 18:36

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends an event marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang, North Korea on Oct. 9, 2025. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may inherit the title of president, last used by late state founder Kim Il Sung, at a parliamentary meeting following an upcoming key ruling party congress, according to a U.S. website that monitors the North.

The website, 38 North, assessed the possibility of North Korea reinstating the title of "DPRK president" for the incumbent leader on the occasion of the Ninth Party Congress and the subsequent meeting of the country's rubber-stamp parliament, the Supreme People's Assembly, according to a report published on Tuesday.

DPRK is the acronym of North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The report focused on how North Korea has referred to Kim Jong-un as the "head of state" since September 2024, noting that this could imply a shift in the regime's structural system.

The title of "the DPRK president" was used by Kim Il Sung, the late grandfather of Kim Jong-un, from 1972 until his death in 1994. An article of the 1972 constitution stipulates that "The DPRK president is the head of state and represents the national sovereignty of the DPRK."

In 1998, North Korea revised its constitution to remove the presidency, prompting the founder's son, Kim Jong-il, to rule the nation as chairman of the National Defense Commission.

Given North Korea's "calibrated" approach to such leadership titles, if North Korea reintroduces the president title and appoints Kim Jong-un to the role, "the implications could extend beyond prestige or a ceremonial upgrade" for Kim, 38 North said.

North Korea is gearing up for the Ninth Party Congress, widely expected to take place this month, to outline major policies on diplomacy, defense and the economy for the next five years.

Yonhap