The position was first established as the chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Central People's Committee (Korean: 중앙인민위원회 국방위원회 위원장) on 28 December 1972.

[2] Kim Il Sung, who was the president of North Korea, was the chairman of the National Defence Commission from 28 December 1972 until 9 April 1993.

The amendment expanded the chairman's powers to become the head of the highest military leadership institution in North Korea.

The 1992 constitutional amendment no longer required the president to also be the chairman of the National Defence Commission and the supreme commander of the armed forces.

Following Kim Il Sung's death on 8 July 1994, another constitutional amendment was approved on 5 September 1998 which further expanded the powers of the chairman of the National Defence Commission.

Despite the 1998 constitutional amendment effectively making the chairman of the National Defence Commission the highest office in North Korea, it did not have the status of head of state.

Following Kim Jong Il's death, the position of chairman of the National Defence Commission remained vacant from December 2011 until April 2012.

A constitutional amendment was approved on 13 April 2012 which enshrined Kim Jong Il as the eternal chairman of the National Defence Commission (Korean: 영원한 국방위원회 위원장).

The amendment also created the position of first chairman of the National Defence Commission (Korean: 국방위원회 제1위원장) which was designated as the supreme leader of the country.

Another constitutional amendment on 29 August of the same year gave the chairman the power to promulgate the ordinances of the Supreme People's Assembly and the decrees and decisions of the State Affairs Commission and appoint North Korea's diplomatic representatives to foreign countries.

[8] The Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea sends a proposal to the Supreme People's Assembly for a candidate to be elected as the president.

In practice, this position is reserved for the general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the top leader in the one-party state.

[14] The president has the power to promulgate ordinances of the Supreme People's Assembly and the SAC decrees, decisions and directives,[12] and to issue orders.

[15] Orders of the President of SAC take precedence over the regular laws passed by the Supreme People's Assembly.

[12] Foreign countries address the credentials and recall of their ambassadors to North Korea to the president,[16] although customarily the task of receiving them is delegated to the chairman of the SPA Standing Committee.