North Korea elects top assembly members
North Koreans wait for their turn to vote during the election at a polling station in Pyongyang, North Korea, Sunday. AP-Yonhap |
By Jung Da-min
North Korea held a nationwide "parliamentary election," Sunday after the failure of the Hanoi summit ironically raised hopes that its leader Kim Jong-un may announce new plans relating to the implementation of updated economic strategies.
New members for the 14th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) are expected to be announced Monday or Tuesday, according to observers, Sunday. A total of 687 deputies are elected, one from each constituency.
Although the SPA does not possess any actual power, its role being strictly "rubber stamp" in nature, it still indicates a pathway of reform for Kim's new cabinet, North Korean watchers say.
North Korean state-media reported Sunday that the election came at a critical time when the country is facing a new task to carry out new economic strategies declared by Kim last April during the Third Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK).
"It would be natural for the top North Korean leadership to replace SPA members with younger ones," said Oh Gyeong-seob, a research fellow in the North Korean Studies Division of the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU). "The SPA election is a political event for the North Korean regime to secure people's loyalty to it and its leader, Kim Jong-un."
"They encourage 100 percent participation of the people to strongly claim that the North Korean regime is getting the full support from its people," he said.
Kim Jong-un likely to take position 'formally' representing North Korea: Thae Yong-ho 2019-03-18 16:05 | North Korea North Korea gives senior diplomats Supreme People's Assembly seats 2019-03-13 17:07 | North Korea North Korea promotes March 10 election of top assembly members 2019-02-22 17:14 | North Korea This is the second parliamentary election since Kim took power in 2012.
According to the country's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), 99.97 percent of all eligible voters went to the polls in 2014, except those out of the country or working at sea.
Candidates include major figures of the ruling WPK, top military officials, farmers and workers from major enterprises.
A woman receives a ballot paper from an electoral worker before voting at a polling station in Pyongyang, North Korea, Sunday. AP-Yonhap |
An electoral worker shows a ballot paper at a polling station in Pyongyang, North Korea, Sunday. AP-Yonhap |
Following the election, the SPA will hold its first meeting.
Another North Korea watcher Lee Su-seok, a researcher at the Institute for National Security Strategy, said it will be noteworthy to watch this first meeting to see how the new leadership will set economic policies in accordance with the strategy set last April.
"Since Kim Jong-un took power, he has emphasized the laws and procedures … putting greater emphasis on the SPA as well," Lee said. "The first meeting in April will give a look into his new economic strategies in this sense."
Declaring the victory of the Byungjin policy ― that simultaneously pushes forward economic and nuclear development ―, Kim said he will focus on the economy as a new strategic priority.
"This election for members of the Supreme People's Assembly is being held while the country is facing a transformational phase in conducting socialist tasks," the state-run Minju Choson said.
"This year, we are in the process of struggle to open up a firm prospect for the further development of socialism, by expanding and strengthening the country's independent development capacity."
(责任编辑:行业动态)
相关内容
- Freedom from Dissent
- The Apple Watch ban is impacting repairs, too
- 顺德出大招:打造全国规模最大预制菜交易中心!
- Is Craig Wright actually Bitcoin inventor Satoshi Nakamoto? This court is deciding.
- 12 Sculptures Made From Recycled Materials
- Best smartphone deal: Google Pixel 8a on sale for $449 at Amazon
- Supreme Court decisions today: What Moore v. Harper means for future elections.
- N. Korea criticizes US weapons package for Taiwan
- NK hackers breached US IT company in bid to steal crypto
- Arshad Nadeem receives Hilal
- US declines to invoke prisoner of war status for Travis King
- See the best 2024 Super Bowl commercials
- S. Korea to provide $500,000 in humanitarian aid to Chile over massive wildfires
推荐文章
-
18 Places for Epic Outdoor Adventure Across Colorado
The Centennial State is an outdoorsy dream, with hiking, mountain-biking, skiing, kayaking, birding ...[详细] -
Best earbuds deal: Beats earbuds up to 47% off
Give the gift of earbuds on sale at Amazon that will arrive before December 25. Today's best Beats E ...[详细] -
OpenAI, Google, Microsoft and others join the Biden
Big Tech and other AI stakeholders have officially been tapped by the Biden-Harris administration to ...[详细] -
N. Korea remains unresponsive to inquiries about US service member in custody: state dept.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller answers questions about a American solider detained in ...[详细] -
Update your BIOS: Utilities from Top Motherboard Makers
PSA:Enthusiasts building their own PCs are accustomed to keeping up with latest drivers, especially ...[详细] -
【附最新议程】大咖云集凤城,把脉出海风潮!一场会串联产、学、研、媒顶级资源
【附最新议程】大咖云集凤城,把脉出海风潮!一场会串联产、学、研、媒顶级资源_出海对接会_预制菜_南方+_南方plus出海对接会最新议程曝光,这些行业大咖们都要来,10+行业协会牵媒谋划产业发展,20+ ...[详细] -
US declines to invoke prisoner of war status for Travis King
U.S. Army soldier Travis King appears in this unknown location, undated photo obtained by REUTERS. R ...[详细] -
Interview: 2Dawn Games on its upcoming shooter 'Ravaged' and life as an indie studio
Earth is dying. Devastated by a pole shift, the planet's oceans have evaporated and its cities reduc ...[详细] -
8月26日,市委书记夏凤俭在雅与四川建安工业有限责任公司董事长耿海波一行座谈。双方分别介绍了雅安经济社会发展情况和企业生产经营情况,围绕推动企业科技创新、扩大投资布局、做强产业集群、开拓市场空间等方面 ...[详细]
-
Twitter / X: Cheapest tier for gold checkmark drops from $1,000 to $200
Elon Musk's X is changing up its Verified Organizations program by launching a new, more affordable ...[详细]
热点阅读