Backgrounder: Basic facts about DPRK's ruling party

The Worker's Party of Korea, the ruling party of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is set to hold a major conference on Sept. 28.

The conference, the first of its kind in 44 years, is expected to elect the ruling party's highest leading body. Delegates are expected to discuss and decide the routes, policies and personnel changes of the party.

The following are some basic facts related to the country and the party.

Under the leadership of Kim Il Sung, the people and army of the Korea recovered their homeland from Japan's occupation as of Aug. 15, 1945, when the Japanese surrendered to end World War II.

After Japan's surrender, U.S. forces began their occupation of the areas south of the 38th parallel on the Korean Peninsula on Sept. 8, 1945, and the peninsula was thereby divided into two parts.

The Worker's Party was founded on Oct. 10, 1945, in Pyongyang.

On Sept. 9, 1948, the DPRK was founded in the north of the 38th parallel on the Korean Peninsula. Kim Il Sung was elected leader of the country.

On June 25, 1950, the Korean War broke out. Three year later, an armistice agreement was signed on July 27, 1953.

Top leader Kim Jong Il started his job at the Central Committee of the Worker's Party in June 1964. He was elected general secretary of the ruling party in October 1997.

The party has previously held two such conferences, in March 1958 and October 1966 respectively. The upcoming conference will be the third one in the party's history.

Source: Xinhua