Korean politics is primarily shaped by the political landscape of South Korea and North Korea. South Korea operates as a democratic republic with a president, a national assembly, and regular elections. Political parties play a significant role, with major parties including the Democratic Party and the People Power Party. In contrast, North Korea is a single-party state led by the Workers' Party of Korea. The country is ruled by a supreme leader, currently Kim Jong-un, and has a centralized government with limited political freedoms. The stark differences in governance reflect the historical division of the Korean Peninsula.