North Korea has begun procedures to convene the Supreme People's Assembly to take follow-up steps, including codifying the decisions adopted at the 9th party congress.
According to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 4th, the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly decided the previous day, in accordance with Article 90 of the North Korean Constitution, to hold the election of deputies to the 15th Supreme People's Assembly on the 15th. Kim Hyeong-sik was appointed as chairperson of the Central Election Commission to elect deputies, and Jeon Gyeong-cheol was appointed vice chairperson. As the Supreme People's Assembly is the equivalent of a parliament, the election of deputies is on par with a general election for members of the National Assembly.
Under North Korea's constitution, the Supreme People's Assembly, the "supreme sovereign organ," ratifies and codifies the decisions of the party. Typically, once a party congress or a plenary meeting of the party's Central Committee concludes, the Supreme People's Assembly is convened in succession to codify the decisions. In fact, in 2021 the Supreme People's Assembly was held five days after the 8th party congress ended, and in 2016 it convened about 50 days after the 7th party congress concluded.
The current 14th-term deputies to the Supreme People's Assembly were elected in 2019 and have exceeded the constitutional five-year term. This 15th-term deputy election will be the third election held since North Korean leader Kim Jong-un took power.
Based on the 14th-term election held in 2019, this deputy election is expected to begin with the organization of the Central Election Commission, followed by procedures such as forming constituencies and sub-districts. Every sub-district election commission nationwide will post voter rolls and carry out candidate recommendations and registrations.
North Korea induces 100% participation and approval voting in elections, and with single candidates registered in each constituency, it appears that all candidates will be elected in this election as well.
In particular, as Choe Ryong-hae, who has served as chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly for seven years since 2019, was dropped from the list of the party's Central Committee at this party congress, his "step back to the second line" is expected to materialize in this deputy election. Instead, Jo Yong-won, Kim's closest aide who has overseen party operations as organizational secretary, is expected to be elected the next chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly.
With the 15th-term deputy election, North Korea is expected to align the operating cycles of state bodies such as the party and the Supreme People's Assembly. The Supreme People's Assembly amends and supplements the constitution and appoints or elects key officeholders, including the cabinet premier, cabinet ministers, and commissioners of the State Affairs Commission. Under the new deputy lineup formed through this election, the first Supreme People's Assembly is expected to ratify the 9th party congress line and proceed with appointments to state bodies such as the cabinet to execute it.
Since Kim has repeatedly said since Dec. 2023 that he would designate South Korea as one of two "hostile states" and codify it, if this was codified in the party rules through the 9th party congress, the Supreme People's Assembly may move to reflect it in the constitution. In addition, attention is on whether North Korea will revive the presidency, which was "retired permanently" for Kim Il-sung, and grant it to Kim.