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Supreme People's Assembly
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) is the unicameral parliament of North Korea (DPRK). It consists of one deputy from each of 687 constituencies, elected to five-year terms. Choi Tae-bok is the Chairman of the SPA, and Yang Hyung-sup and Kim Young-dae are the Vice-Chairmen.[1] Although the SPA is North Korea's primary legislative body, it ordinarily delegates authority to the smaller Presidium chosen from among its members. The Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly is the most powerful body in the SPA and exercises legislative power when the SPA is in recess, which occurs during all but a few days of every year. Kim Yong Nam is the current President of the Presidium.[1]
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The 687 SPA deputies are ostensibly elected by secret ballot of citizens 17 years of age and older to serve five year terms. All citizens 17 and older, regardless of party affiliation, political views, or religion are constitutionally eligible to be elected to the SPA and vote in elections [2]. These elections are not democratic by international standards, as voters are presented with only a single candidate for each office. All candidates are selected by the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, an unelected party organization under the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea. Elections were last held on August 3, 2003, and will be held again in 2008. Kim Yong Nam currently serves as President of the Assembly and thus also as the head of the Presidum.
According to the Constitution of North Korea, it is the highest organ of state power. The Assembly is convened once or twice a year in regular sessions of several days each; this is the shortest meeting time of any parliament. The SPA always passes all proposals by the government into law during its sessions with almost no debate or modification. At all other times, the Presidium serves as the country's legislature. Extraordinary sessions of the Assembly can also meet when called by the Presidium or by one third of the Assembly deputies.
In 1990 (the most recent available figures) the composition of the SPA was 601 seats held by the Workers' Party of Korea, 51 seats held by the Korean Social Democratic Party, 22 seats held by the Chondoist Chongu Party and 13 seats held by independents [3]. All members of the parliament were elected from the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, a popular front controlled by the Worker's Party of Korea.
Kim Jong Il did not make a speech at the first session of the 10th SPA in 1998. Instead, North Koreans had to listen to a taped speech of the late Kim Il Sung, which was made at the first session of the 9th SPA, in 1991.
The enhanced status of the Korean People's Army was anticipated by the SPA election July 1998, when 101 military officials were elected out of 687 delegates. This was a big jump from the 57 military officials elected during the 9th SPA in 1990.
Contents |
- Kim Tu-bong (1948-1957)
- Choi Yong-kun (1957-1972)
- Yang Hyong-sop (?-1998)
- Kim Yong-nam (1998-Present)
| List | Seats |
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Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland
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687 |
| Total | 687 |
| Source: | |
- ^ a b Dae-woong, Jin. "Who's who in North Korea's power elite", The Korea Herald, 2007-10-04. Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
- ^ http://www.geocities.com/dprknews/dprkconst.htm
- ^ http://www.asgp.info/Publications/CPI-English/1992_163_01-e.pdf#search=%2251%20seats%20korean%20social%20democratic%20party%20supreme%20people's%20assembly%22
- CIA World Factbook: North Korean Government