Kim Il Sung's Consolidation of Power (1945–1956)

1. Soviets establish governing authority in the North

   Oct 3, 1945Labels: Soviet Civil, Pyongyang authority

   • SCA Korea
   • PPCNK

2. Kim Il Sung is presented to the public

   Oct 14, 1945Labels: Kim Il, Pyongyang rally

   • Kaeson Site

3. Provisional People’s Committee is formed under Kim

   Feb 8, 1946Labels: Provisional People, Kim Il

   • PPCNK
   • SCA Korea

4. Land reform begins to break old rural power

   Mar 5, 1946Labels: Land Reform, rural elites

   • Land Reforms
   • PPCNK

5. Workers’ Party of North Korea is established

   Aug 28, 1946Labels: Workers Party, Kim Il

   • WPNK
   • Britannica KWP

6. People’s Committee replaces provisional government

   Feb 21, 1947Labels: People s, Kim Il

   • PCNK
   • PPCNK

7. Regular armed forces are proclaimed (KPA)

   Feb 8, 1948Labels: Korean People, North Korean

   • KPA
   • FAS IRP

8. DPRK is proclaimed and Kim becomes premier

   Sep 9, 1948Labels: DPRK, Kim Il

   • SPA
   • 1st Cabinet

9. North and South party structures merge into WPK

   Jun 24, 1949Labels: Workers Party, party merger

   • WPK
   • Britannica KWP

10. North Korea invades South Korea, starting the Korean War

    Jun 25, 1950Labels: Korean War, Korean People

    • Britannica War
    • Britannica Timeline

11. Armistice halts fighting; regime tightens internal control

    Jul 27, 1953Labels: Korean Armistice, North Korean

    • NARA Armistice
    • Armistice

12. Pak Hon-yong is arrested in a major purge

    Aug 3, 1953Labels: Pak Hon-yong, political purge

    • Pak Hon yong

13. Kim’s “Juche” speech asserts ideological independence

    Dec 28, 1955Labels: Juche speech, Kim Il

    • Juche Speech
    • Marxists org

14. Opposition fails at the August Faction Incident

    Aug 1, 1956Labels: August Faction, party purge

    • August Incident
    • 3rd Congress