It was founded by Kim Il-sung on January 17, 1946 as the Democratic Youth League of North Korea. It became the youth wing of the Workers Party of North Korea, later the Workers Party of Korea. It was renamed the Democratic Youth League of Korea and in May 1964 renamed as the League of Socialist Working Youth of Korea. It assumed its present name on its 50th anniversary in 1996.
The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Youth League is Kim Kyong Ho. The Youth League publishes a daily newspaper, Chongnyon Jonwi.