The Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) has dominated North Korea’s political system for decades, brooking no opposition from rivals. Single-party rule has cemented the Kim family’s power, made party membership one of the surest tickets to success and shaped nearly every aspect of life in the country.

But other political parties have also played a role on the northern half of the peninsula, and Kim Il Sung’s connection to one may have even spurred an early attempt on his life.