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Parliament name (generic / translated) Choe Go In Min Hoe Ui / Supreme People's Assembly More photos  >>> Structure of parliament Unicameral Affiliation to the IPU Yes Affiliation date(s) 1973 - LEADERSHIP President Choe Thae Bok (M)  Notes Re-elected on 9 Apr. 2009. Secretary General Pyon Yong Rip (M)  COMPOSITION Members (statutory / current number) 687 / 687 PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN More statistics  >>> Women (current number) 107 (15.57%) Mode of designation directly elected 687 Term 5 years Last renewal dates 8 March 2009 (View details) CONTACT INFORMATION Address Presidium Supreme People´s Assembly Mansoudong Central District PYONGYANG (Export mailing lists) Phone (850 2) 18 111 18 222 18 333 Fax (850 2) 381 4410 4427 E-mail Website

Parliament name (generic / translated) Choe Go In Min Hoe Ui / Supreme People's Assembly Structure of parliament Unicameral LEGAL FRAMEWORK Electoral law 9 March 2006 Loi N° 06/006 Mode of designation directly elected 687 Constituencies 687 single-member constituencies. Voting system Majority: Majority vote. The candidate who has received the absolute majority of all votescast in a constituency is declared elected. The election is valid only when more than 1/2 of the voters in a given constituency take part in it. Vacancies arising between general elections are filled through by-elections. Voting is not compulsory. Voter requirements - age: 17 years - DPRK citizenship - disqualifications: insanity, persons disfranchised by court decision CANDIDATES Eligibility Qualified electors - age: 17 years - DPRK citizenship Incompatibilities (data unavailable) Candidacy requirements - nomination by electors, political parties or social organisations (jointly or individually) - each candidate must be nominated at a meeting of at least 100 electors; more than 1/2 of these must support his/her candidacy.

Parliament name (generic / translated) Choe Go In Min Hoe Ui / Supreme People's Assembly Structure of parliament Unicameral BACKGROUND Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 8 March 2009 Timing and scope of renewal Elections were held for all the seats in the Supreme People's Assembly. On 7 January 2009, the State-run news agency announced that elections to the Supreme People's Assembly, which had been due by August 2008, would be held on 8 March. Although the authorities did not announce any official reasons, it is widely believed that the elections were delayed due to the deteriorating health of the 67-year-old leader of the country, Kim Jong-il. Mr. Kim, who inherited power from his father, Kim Il-sung in 1994, is General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army, and Chairman of the National Defence Commission. He had reportedly suffered a stroke in August 2008. The international media focused on the composition of the new Supreme People's Assembly, trying to obtain any signs of a political shift, in particular who would be the next leader of the country, which has been under international pressure to abandon its nuclear and missile programmes. As in the previous elections, only one candidate was listed on the ballot paper in each constituency. Officially, voters' meetings are held in all the constituencies across the country to nominate candidates. It is widely believed that most candidates were hand-picked by Mr. Kim, the Workers' Party of Korea and the military. Initially, it was reported that Mr. Kim Jong-un. Mr. Kim's third son, was among the candidates. However, Mr. Kim reportedly renounced appearing to openly favour his third son for fear of triggering an internal power struggle among those vying for the leader's post. The authorities, in official publications, stated that they wanted to achieve a powerful North Korea by 2012, the 100th anniversary of the birth of the country's founding leader, Mr. Kim Il-sung. The Workers' Party of Korea, to this end, called on citizens to vote massively in the elections to "help enhance the role and function of the Government ". According the State-run news agency, 99.98 per cent of the registered voters turned out at the polls and 100 per cent of the participants voted for the proposed candidates. The Workers' Party of Korea won 606 seats, followed by the Korean Social Democratic Party with 50 seats. The Chondoist Chongu Party, which comprises followers of the Chondogyo religion ('Heavenly Way'), took 22. The remainder went to independents and an association. A total of 367 members were re elected; 21 former members who had held seats in the legislature elected before 1998 were also re-elected. These re-elected members included Mr. Kim Jong-il and his close aides, such as Mr. Kim Yong-nam, the Head of State (the second highest office in the country); Mr. Jang Song-thaek, Head of the Workers' Party's administrative department; and Mr. Kang Sok-ju, the first deputy Foreign Minister and Mr. Kim's brother-in-law. The percentage of first-time members was recorded at 43.5 per cent (299 members), down from 48.2 per cent in the 2003 elections. In contrast to 2003, when many military officials had reportedly been elected, the 2009 elections saw an increase in the number of technocrats and financial experts. 107 women were elected. The newly elected Supreme People's Assembly held its first session on 9 April, and re-elected Mr. Choe Thae Bok as the Speaker. It re-elected Mr. Kim Jong-il as Chairman of the National Defence Commission. STATISTICS Voter turnout Round no 1 8 March 2009 Number of registered electors Voters Blank or invalid ballot papers Valid votes 99.98% Notes Distribution of votes Round no 1 Political group Candidates Votes % of votes Workers' Party of Korea Korean Social Democratic Party Chondoist Chongu Party General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) Independents Distribution of seats Round no 1 Political Group Total of seats Number of women Workers' Party of Korea 606 85 Korean Social Democratic Party 50 12 Chondoist Chongu Party 22 9 General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) 6 1 Independents 3 0 Distribution of seats according to sex Men Women Percent of women 580 107 15.57% Distribution of seats according to age Distribution of seats according to profession Other Soldiers Workers Farmers 427 116 75 69 Comments Distribution of seats according to age Below 35 years old: 7 Between 36 and 55 years old: 333 Over 56 years old: 347 Sources: - Permanent Mission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva (08.09.2009) - http://www.kcna.co.jp - http://www.korea-dpr.com/

Parliament name (generic / translated) Choe Go In Min Hoe Ui / Supreme People's Assembly Structure of parliament Unicameral APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE Title Speaker of the Supreme People's Assembly Term - duration: 5 years (term of House) - reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, prosecution for crime, vote of no confidence, transfer to another post, lack of capability, Appointment - elected by all the Members of the Assembly - election is held at the first sitting of the newly elected Assembly Eligibility - any Deputy may be candidate Voting system - formal vote by public ballot (by a show of hands) - simple majority is required - several rounds may be held if the required majority is not obtained Procedures / results - a Deputy chosen by the Presidium presides over the Assembly during the voting - all Deputies supervise the voting - the Deputy chosen by the Presidium announces the results without any delay - the results can be challenged STATUS Status - represents the Assembly with the public authorities - represents the Assembly in international bodies - is ex officio Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly - in the absence of the Presidentr, the Vice-President can assume his/her role and functions Board Material facilities NA (no information received) FUNCTIONS Organization of parliamentary business - convenes sessions - organizes the debates and sets speaking time - examines the admissibility of bills and amendments - refers texts to a committee for study - examines the admissibility of request for setting up committees and/or committees of enquiry, proposes or decides on the setting up of such committees - the Standing Committee establishes and modifies the agenda Chairing of public sittings - can open, adjourn and close sittings - ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders - may take disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures - establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak - establishes the order in which amendments are taken up - calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities- checks the quorum - authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates - interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Assembly Special powers - is responsible for establishing the Assembly's budget - recruits, assigns and promotes staff - appoints the Clerk - organizes the services of Parliament - is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments Speaking and voting rights, other functions - provides guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion - takes part in voting in his/her capacity of Deputy - proposes bills or amendments - intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure

This page was last updated on 27 January 2011
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