Aside from being president, Kim was also the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, Chairman of the National Defence Commission (until 1993) and Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army (until 1991).

A constitutional amendment in 1998 named Kim Il Sung as the eternal president and abolished the position.

[3] The president was the head of the Central People's Committee which was primarily responsible for setting North Korea's domestic policies.

[9] The president was also given the power to introduce agenda items in the sessions of the Supreme People's Assembly and to issue orders.

The amendment no longer made it possible for the president to automatically become the chairman of the National Defense Commission, who was tasked with the control of the country's armed forces.