The 5th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) was elected at the 5th Congress on 13 November 1970. and remained in session until the election of the 6th Central Committee on 14 October 1980. In between party congresses and specially convened conferences the Central Committee is the highest decision-making institution in the WPK and North Korea. The Central Committee is not a permanent institution and delegates day-to-day work to elected bodies, such as the Political Committee, the Secretariat and the Inspection Committee in the case of the 5th Central Committee. It convenes meetings, known as "Plenary Session of the [term] Central Committee", to discuss major policies. Only full members have the right to vote, but if a full member cannot attend a plenary session, the person's spot is taken over by an alternate. Plenary session can also be attended by non-members, such meetings are known as "Enlarged Plenary Session", to participate in the committee's discussions.
References for plenary sessions, apparatus heads, the Central Committee full- and candidate membership, Political Committee membership, Standing Committee membership, secretaries, Organisation Committee members, membership in the Inspection Commission, offices an individual held, retirement, if the individual in question is military personnel, female, has been expelled, is currently under investigation or has retired: