Today the party is immensely powerful and has full control of the army. Kim Jong un acts as chairman. The instantly recognisable symbol of the party is the communist hammer and sickle with a Korean calligraphy brush added. The three items represent the workers, peasants and intellectuals.
The party has been in power since its inception in 1949. Technically other parties do exist in North Korea but they must accept the Workers’ Party leading role and remain completely under its wing.