2023 North Korean parliamentary election

2023 North Korean parliamentary election was held on 26 November 2023 to elect members of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly. Conducted under the political control of the Workers' Party of Korea and its leader Kim Jong Un, the event reaffirmed the existing power structure within the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The election followed constitutional procedures but was characterized by a lack of political competition, with state media reporting near-universal voter turnout and unanimous approval for the pre-selected candidates.

Background

The election occurred in the context of heightened geopolitical tensions on the Korean Peninsula, following a period of intensified weapons testing by the Korean People's Army. The previous assembly, the 13th Supreme People's Assembly, had overseen the codification of the state's nuclear policy into law during its session in September 2022. This legislative term also saw the continued enforcement of the Pyongyang lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which had profound effects on the national economy and daily life. The poll was scheduled per the constitution, which mandates elections every four to five years, with the last one held in March 2019.

Electoral system

Elections in North Korea are conducted under a first-past-the-post system within single-member constituencies, as defined by the Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Each constituency presents a single candidate approved by the Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea, a coalition dominated by the Workers' Party of Korea. Voters receive a ballot with one candidate's name and vote by dropping it into either a "yes" or "no" box. The Central Election Committee, supervised by the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, administers the process. Key institutions like the Ministry of State Security and the Korean People's Internal Security Forces help ensure social control during the voting period.

Candidates and campaign

All candidates were vetted and nominated by the Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea. The ruling Workers' Party of Korea secured the vast majority of nominations, with remaining seats allocated to minor allied parties including the Korean Social Democratic Party and the Chondoist Chongu Party, as well as representatives from organizations like the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan. Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un was registered as a candidate in the symbolic Mount Paektu constituency. The pre-election "campaign" period involved state-organized rallies and meetings where candidates' biographies were presented, emphasizing loyalty to the Party Central Committee and the Ten Principles for the Establishment of a Monolithic Ideological System. No opposition or independent candidates were permitted.

Results

Official results released by the Central Election Committee reported a 99.99% turnout of all registered voters, with 100% approval for every candidate in all 687 constituencies. The Workers' Party of Korea retained its overwhelming majority with 607 seats. Its junior partners, the Korean Social Democratic Party and the Chondoist Chongu Party, won 50 and 22 seats respectively, while the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan took 8 seats. High-profile figures re-elected included Premier Kim Tok Hun, Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, and Korean People's Army officials like Pak Jong Chon. The newly elected assembly convened its first session in January 2024 at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang.

Analysis and reactions

International observers, including the United Nations and watchdogs like Human Rights Watch, dismissed the election as a non-competitive ritual designed to project a facade of popular legitimacy. Media outlets such as Reuters and Yonhap News Agency noted the event's primary function was to reinforce the authority of Kim Jong Un and the WPK Central Committee. Neighboring states like the Republic of Korea and Japan monitored the election closely, with officials in Seoul stating it reflected the rigid nature of the North Korean political system. Domestic coverage by the Korean Central News Agency and Rodong Sinmun celebrated the results as a demonstration of national unity against external pressures from the United States and its allies.

Category:Elections in North Korea Category:2023 elections in Asia Category:2023 in North Korea