Supreme People's Assembly

The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA; Korean: 최고인민회의; MR: Ch'oego Inmin Hoeŭi) is the legislature of North Korea. It is ostensibly the highest organ of state power and the only branch of government in North Korea, with all state organs subservient to it under the principle of unified power. However, in practice it is a rubber stamp legislature which exists to approve decisions made by the ruling party as a formality, and which has little to no real power of its own.^[1][2]

Supreme People's Assembly 최고인민회의 最高人民會議 Ch'oego Inmin Hoeŭi
14th Supreme People's Assembly
Type
Type	Unicameral
Leadership
Chairman of the Standing Committee	Choe Ryong-hae, WPK since 11 April 2019
Chairman	Pak In-chol, WPK since 17 January 2023
Structure
Seats	687
Political groups	Workers' Party (607)   Social Democratic Party (50)   Chondoist Chongu Party (22)   Ch'ongryŏn (6)   Independents (2)
Committees	Foreign Affairs Committee Budget Committee Legislation Committee Deputy Credentials Committee Standing Committee
Elections
Voting system	Approval voting for single party-nominated candidate
Last election	10 March 2019
Meeting place
Mansudae Assembly Hall Pyongyang Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Chosŏn'gŭl	최고인민회의
Hancha	最高人民會議
Revised Romanization	Choego Inmin Hoeui
McCune–Reischauer	Ch'oego Inmin Hoeŭi

It consists of one deputy from each of North Korea's 687 constituencies,^[3] elected to five-year terms.^[4]

The constitution identifies the SPA as the "highest organ of state power" and all state positions, including the President of the State Affairs and in theory the Premier of the Cabinet, trace their authority to it. The Assembly typically does not legislate directly but delegates that task to a smaller Standing Committee. Government officials carry out the policies legislated by the SPA subject to oversight and correction by the Workers' Party of Korea. ^{[citation needed]}

The Workers' Party of Korea, which the constitution recognizes as the state's leading party, dominates the Assembly in a monopoly coalition with the Social Democratic Party and the Chondoist Chongu Party called the Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea. Elections are held in five-year intervals, the most recent in 2019.

History

Under the 1972 Constitution, the number of seats in the Assembly was 655.^[5] This was increased to 687 following the 1986 election.^[6]

In 1990, 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.^[7]

The last convention during Kim Il Sung's government took place in April 1994, three months before his death. Then during the mourning period the assembly did not meet, nor did elections take place. The next meeting convened in September 1998, four years after Kim's death.^[8]

Kim Jong Il did not make a speech at the first session of the 10th SPA in 1998. Instead, members listened to a tape-recorded 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 large increase from the 57 military officials elected during the 9th SPA in 1990.

Kim Yong-nam served as chairman of the Assembly Presidum from 1998 until 2019.^[9][10] Pak Thae-song is the Chairman (Speaker), while Pak Chol-min and Pak Kum-hui are the vice-chairmen.^[10]

On April 14, 2012, during the fifth session of the 12th Supreme People's Assembly Kim Jong Un was elected as the country's supreme leader. Addressing the SPA session, Kim Yong-nam, chairman of the SPA Presidium, said Kim's accession to North Korea's top post reflected "the ardent desire and unanimous will of all the party members, servicepersons and other people".^[11] His status as leader was reaffirmed when he was elected unopposed on March 9, 2014. Kim was nominated to represent his district, the symbolic Mount Paektu, in the assembly election. Voters could vote yes or no, with all voting in the affirmative, according to government officials.

In 2017, the assembly created a subordinate Diplomatic Commission, which had use in terms of dialogue with international parliaments.^[12] On 11 April 2019, Choe Ryong-hae was appointed chairman of the Presidium.^[13]

Tenures

Term	Deputies	Start	End	Duration
1st	572	2 September 1948	18 September 1957	9 years, 16 days
2nd	215	18 September 1957	22 October 1962	5 years, 34 days
3rd	383	22 October 1962	14 December 1967	5 years, 53 days
4th	457	14 December 1967	12 December 1972	4 years, 364 days
5th	541	12 December 1972	15 December 1977	5 years, 3 days
6th	579	15 December 1977	5 April 1982	4 years, 111 days
7th	615	5 April 1982	29 December 1986	4 years, 268 days
8th	655	29 December 1986	24 May 1990	3 years, 146 days
9th	687	24 May 1990	5 September 1998	8 years, 104 days
10th	687	5 September 1998	3 September 2003	4 years, 363 days
11th	687	3 September 2003	9 April 2009	5 years, 218 days
12th	687	9 April 2009	9 April 2014	5 years, 0 days
13th	687	9 April 2014	11 April 2019	5 years, 2 days
14th	687	11 April 2019	Incumbent	5 years, 258 days
References: [14]

Elections and membership

Further information: Elections in North Korea and 2019 North Korean parliamentary election

Under the Constitution of North Korea, all citizens 20 and older, regardless of party affiliation, political views, or religion, are eligible to be elected to the legislature and vote in elections.

All candidates are selected by the Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea in mass meetings held to decide which candidates will be nominated and their names can only go on the ballot paper with the approval of the meeting. The Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea is a popular front dominated by the Korean Workers' Party, in which almost all power rests. The other participants in the coalition include the two other de facto legal political parties, the Korean Social Democratic Party and the Chondoist Chongu Party, as well as various other member organizations including social groups and youth groups, such as the Korean Children's Union, the Socialist Patriotic Youth League, the Korean Democratic Women's League, and the Red Cross Society of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Only one candidate who has been selected by the Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea appears on the ballot. A voter may cross off the candidate's name to vote against them, but must do so in a special booth without any secrecy.^[15] The voter must then drop their ballot into a separate box for "no" votes. Voting against a Democratic Front candidate is considered treasonous; those who do face the loss of their jobs and housing, along with extra surveillance. Refusing to vote at all is also considered a treasonous act.^[16]

Functions

The Assembly is convened once or twice a year in regular plenary sessions of several days each. At all other times, the Standing Committee acts for the Assembly. Extraordinary sessions of the Assembly can also meet when called by the Standing Committee or by one third of the Assembly deputies.

The functions of the SPA are:^[17]

• Adopting, amending or supplementing enactments to the constitution;
• enact, amend and supplement statutory legislation,
• approve major statutory laws adopted by the SPA Standing Committee while the SPA is in recess
• establish the basic principles of the state's domestic and foreign policies
• Determining State policy and budgets;^[18]
• Elections of the President, vice-presidents and members of the State Affairs Commission;
• Elections of the chairman, vice chairman and other members of the Standing Committee;
• Elections of legal officials;
• Appointing the Premier, Deputy Premiers and other members of the Cabinet
• Receiving reports and adopting measures on the Cabinet
• Elect or recall the chief justice of the Central Court
• Elect or recall the prosecutor general of the Central General Prosecutor's Office

Constitutional amendments require the approval of two-thirds of the deputies.^[17]

While the Supreme People's Assembly is vested with great powers on paper, in practice the principles of democratic centralism leave it with little real power. Like most Communist legislatures, it does little more than ratify decisions already made by Kim and the top leadership of the WPK.^{[citation needed]}

Standing Committee

The Standing Committee exercises legislative power when the SPA is in recess, which occurs during all but a few days of every year. For all intents and purposes, it is the highest organ of state power in North Korea.^[9]

The Standing Committee consists of the Chairman, vice-chairmen, a secretary-general and other members, elected by the SPA.^[19] The secretary-general, a largely symbolic role,^[20] is currently Jong Yong-guk.^[10] The functions of the Standing Committee are to:

• Convene sessions of the Supreme People's Assembly;^[17]
• Examine and approve new state legislation when the SPA is in recess;^[17]
• Supervise the Supreme Prosecutor's Office [ko] when the SPA is not in session;^[21]
• Supervise the Central Court when the SPA is in recess;^[22]
• Interpret and enact the Constitution and most legislation passed, with the President of the State Affairs Commission (SAC) now having the power to enact important laws presented for legislation;^[17]
• Form or dissolve state ministries;^[17]
• Supervise laws of State organs;^[17]
• Supervise parliamentary committees;^[19]
• Organize elections to the Supreme People's Assembly;^[17]
• Ratify treaties with foreign countries;^[17]
• Appoint, transfer, or remove officials and judges when the SPA is in recess;^[17]
• Grant special pardons or amnesties.^[17]

In addition to its executive functions, the Standing Committee also receives credentials of diplomatic representatives from foreign countries with the consent of the President of the SAC.^[17]

In 1998, a constitutional amendment abolished the posts of the President of North Korea, Central People's Committee, and Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly and gave their powers to a new body titled the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly.^[23] Of these organs, the Presidium was seen as the successor of the Standing Committee.^[24] In 2021, the Presidium reverted its name back to Standing Committee, though the powers provided by the original constitutional amendment used to abolish the previous Standing Committee remain unaltered. Thus, the Standing Committee formed in 2021 currently serves as a continuation of the Presidium rather than a re-creation of the Standing Committee that had existed before 1998.^[25]

Standing Committee Members

Position	Name	Ref
Chairman	Choe Ryong-hae	[10]
Vice Chairman	Vacant
Vice Chairman	Thae Hyong-chol	[10]
Secretary General	Jong Yong-guk	[10]
Member	Kim Yong-chol	[10]
Member	Ju Yong-gil	[10]
Member	Kim Chang-yop	[10]
Member	Chang Chun-sil	[10]
Member	Kang Myong-chol	[10]
Member	Kang Su-rin	[10]
Member	Pak Myong-chol	[10]
Member	Kim Nung-o	[10]
Member	Kang Ji-yong	[10]
Member	Ri Myong-gil	[10]
Member	Ri Chol	[10]

Chairman

Main article: Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly

Prior to the creation of the post of President of North Korea in 1972, the Chairman of the Standing Committee was the country's de jure head of state.^{[citation needed]} Currently, the Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly is the SPA speaker,^[26] while the Chairman of the Standing Committee performs certain representative functions ordinarily accorded to a head of state.^{[citation needed]} As the representative of the state in external matters and the head of the highest sovereign organ, the Chairman of the Standing Committee is often considered the de facto head of state of North Korea, though officially this role is reserved for the President of the State Affairs Commission. The chairman also convenes sessions of the SPA.^[24]

The chairman, like the rest of the Standing Committee, is elected by the SPA, which can also remove the chairman. Choe Ryong-hae assumed the office of Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly in 2019 before the office was given the current name in 2021.^[10]

Committees

In addition to the Standing Committee, the SPA has four parliamentary committees: the Foreign Affairs Committee, Budget Committee, Legislation Committee,^[10] and Deputy Credentials Committee.^[27] The constitution mandates the Legislation and Budget Committees and leaves the choice of having more committees to the SPA.^[28] Before 1998, there was an additional committee called the Reunification-policy Deliberation Committee.^[24] The Foreign Affairs Committee, too, was discontinued in 1998,^[24] but as of 2019^[update] is operating again.^[10]

Foreign Affairs Committee

The Foreign Affairs Committee is chaired by Kim Hyong-jun. The other members are Ro Ryong-nam, Ri Son-gwon, Kim Jong-suk, Kim Tong-son, Choe Son-hui, and Kim Song-il.^[10]

Budget Committee

The Budget Committee is chaired by O Su-yong. The other members are Hong So-hon, Pak Hyong-ryol, Ri Hi-yong, Kim Kwang-uk, Choe Yong-il, and Ri Kum-ok.^[10]

Legislation Committee

The Legislation Committee is chaired by Choe Pu-il. The other members are Kim Myong-gil, Kang Yun-sok, Pak Jong-nam, Kim Yong-bae, Jong Kyong-il, and Ho Kwang-il.^[10]

Deputy Credentials Committee

The Deputy Credentials Committee is chaired by Kim Phyong-hae.^[27]

List of office holders

Further information: Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly

Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Chairman		Political party		Term Start	Term End	Election	Ref
	Kim Tu-bong 김두봉 1889–1958		Workers' Party of North Korea	9 September 1948	20 September 1957	1st SPA
			Workers' Party of Korea
	Choe Yong-gon 최용건 1900–1976		Korean Democratic Party	20 September 1957	23 October 1962	2nd SPA
			Workers' Party of Korea
				23 October 1962	16 December 1967	3rd SPA
				16 December 1967	28 December 1972	4th SPA
	Hwang Jang-yop 황장엽 1923–2010		Workers' Party of Korea	28 December 1972	16 December 1977	5th SPA
				16 December 1977	6 April 1982	6th SPA
				6 April 1982	7 April 1983	7th SPA
	Yang Hyong-sop 양형섭 (1925–2022)		Workers' Party of Korea	7 April 1983	29 December 1986
				29 December 1986	24 May 1990	8th SPA
				24 May 1990	5 September 1998	9th SPA
Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
President		Political party		Term Start	Term End	Election	Ref
	Kim Yong-nam 김영남 (born 1928)		Workers' Party of Korea	5 September 1998	3 September 2003	10th SPA
				3 September 2003	9 April 2009	11th SPA
				9 April 2009	9 April 2014	12th SPA
				9 April 2014	11 April 2019	13th SPA
	Choe Ryong-hae 최룡해 (born 1950)		Workers' Party of Korea	11 April 2019	Incumbent	14th SPA	[10]
Chairman of the Assembly of Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Chairman		Political party		Term Start	Term End	Election	Ref
	Ho Hon 허헌(許憲) (1885–1951)		Workers' Party of Korea	September 1948	1951	1st SPA
	Paek Nam-un 백남운 (1894–1979)		Workers' Party of Korea	25 November 1957	1972	4th SPA
	Han Duk-su 한덕수 (1907–2001)		Workers' Party of Korea	1972	1986	5th SPA 14th SPA 6th SPA 7th SPA
Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Chairman		Political party		Term Start	Term End	Election	Ref
	Choe Thae-bok 최태복 (1930–2024)		Workers' Party of Korea	5 September 1998	11 April 2019	10th SPA 11th SPA 12th SPA 13th SPA
	Pak Thae-song 박태성 (born 1955)		Workers' Party of Korea	11 April 2019	17 January 2023	14th SPA
	Pak In-chol 박인철			17 January 2023[29]	Incumbent

Notes

See also

• North Korea portal
• Politics portal

• Politics of North Korea
• List of legislatures by country
• National Assembly, the South Korean legislature

References

Citations

1. North Koreans vote in 'no-choice' parliamentary elections
2. North Korea goes to polls to rubber-stamp parliament lineup
3. "DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA Choe Go In Min Hoe Ui (Supreme People's Assembly)". Inter-Parliamentary Union. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
4. "DPRK Holds Election of Local and National Assemblies". People's Korea. Archived from the original on 2012-05-10. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
5. Gorvin, Ian (1989-01-01). Elections since 1945: a worldwide reference compendium. Longman. p. 196. ISBN 9780582036208.
6. Publications, Europa; Staff, Europa Publications; 32nd, Ed (2017-04-25). The Far East and Australasia 2001. Taylor & Francis Group. p. 597. ISBN 9781857430806. Archived from the original on 2017-04-26.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
7. Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments
8. "North Korean legislature seen set to name Kim president", CNN, August 20, 1998. Archived March 26, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
9. Dae-woong, Jin (2007-10-04). "Who's who in North Korea's power elite". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2007-10-05.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
10. "In full: promotions and demotions at North Korea's 14th SPA". NK PRO. Korea Risk Group. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
11. "DPRK revises constitution, elects Kim Jong Un as top leader", 2012-04-14 Archived 2012-04-18 at the Wayback Machine
12. Frank, Ruediger (28 April 2017). "The North Korean Parliamentary Session and Budget Report for 2017". 38 North. U.S.-Korea Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
13. "N.K. leader re-elected as chairman of State Affairs Commission". Yonhap. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
14. Staff writer (1998). "Chronology of Supreme People's Assembly". The People's Korea. Archived from the original on 14 February 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
15. "North Korea votes for new rubber-stamp parliament". Associated Press. 8 March 2009.
16. Milisic, Alma (19 July 2015). "Foregone result in North Korea's local elections". Al-Jazeera English.
17. Europa Publications Staff. (2002). The Far East and Australasia 2003. Routledge. pp. 680. ISBN 978-1-85743-133-9
18. Frank, Ruediger (8 April 2016). "The 2016 North Korean Budget Report: 12 Observations". 38 North. U.S.-Korea Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Archived from the original on 4 May 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
19. "Organizational Chart of North Korean Leadership" (PDF). Seoul: Political and Military Analysis Division, Intelligence and Analysis Bureau; Ministry of Unification. January 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
20. Madden, Michael (5 April 2013). "Kim Jong Un's Pyongyang Shuffle". 38 North. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
21. Cha & Hwang 2008, p. 201.
22. Minnich 2008, p. 276.
23. Cha & Hwang 2008, p. 196.
24. Cha & Hwang 2008, p. 198.
25. Article 117, Section 4 of the Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (2021)
26. "6th Session of the 13th SPA Held". North Korea Leadership Watch. 14 April 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
27. "First-day Meeting of First Session of 14th SPA Held". KCNA Watch. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
28. "Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea". 2016. Chapter VI, Section 1, Article 98. Archived from the original on 25 October 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
29. "8th Session of 14th SPA of DPRK Held". KCNA Watch. 19 January 2023.

Works cited

• Cha, Victor D.; Hwang, Balbina Y. (2008). "Government and Politics". In Worden, Robert L. (ed.). North Korea: A Country Study (5th ed.). Washington: Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress. pp. 187–234. ISBN 978-0-8444-1188-0.
• Minnich, James M. (2008). "National Security" (PDF). In Worden, Robert L. (ed.). North Korea: A Country Study (5th ed.). Washington: Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress. pp. 237–281. ISBN 978-0-8444-1188-0.

External links

• Supreme People's Assembly at the Inter-Parliamentary Union
• North Korean Government, CIA World Factbook
• FACTBOX - North Korea's main political bodies and power, Reuters.

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