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The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA; ) is the
legislature A legislature (, ) is a deliberative assembly with the legal authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country, nation or city on behalf of the people therein. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial power ...
of
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...
. It is ostensibly the
highest organ of state power The supreme state organ of power, also known as the highest state organ of power, is the representative organ in communist states that functions as the sole branch of government according to the principle of unified power. For example, the governm ...
and the only branch of government in North Korea, with all state organs subservient to it under the principle of
unified power Unified power is the political power principle of communist states, whereby political power, instead of being separated into different branches as Montesquieu called for, is unified, in the state's case, in the highest organ of state power. This ...
. 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. It consists of one deputy from each of North Korea's 687 constituencies, elected to five-year terms. The
constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these pri ...
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 A committee or commission is a body of one or more persons subordinate to a deliberative assembly or other form of organization. A committee may not itself be considered to be a form of assembly or a decision-making body. Usually, an assembly o ...
. Government officials carry out the policies legislated by the SPA subject to oversight and correction by the
Workers' Party of Korea The Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), also called the Korean Workers' Party (KWP), is the sole ruling party of North Korea. Founded in 1949 from a merger between the Workers' Party of North Korea and the Workers' Party of South Korea, the WPK is ...
. The Workers' Party of Korea, which the constitution recognizes as the state's leading party, dominates the Assembly in a monopoly
coalition A coalition is formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political, military, or economic spaces. Formation According to ''A G ...
with the Social Democratic Party and the Chondoist Chongu Party called the
Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea The Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea (DFRK), also known as the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland (DFRF) or the Fatherland Front, was a North Korean united front formed on 25 June 1949 and led by the Worker ...
. Elections are held in five-year intervals, the most recent in
2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...
.


History

Under the 1972 Constitution, the number of seats in the Assembly was 655. This was increased to 687 following the 1986 election. 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. The last convention during
Kim Il Sung Kim Il Sung (born Kim Song Ju; 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a North Korean politician and the founder of North Korea, which he led as its first Supreme Leader (North Korean title), supreme leader from North Korea#Founding, its establishm ...
'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.
Kim Jong Il Kim Jong Il (born Yuri Kim; 16 February 1941 or 1942 – 17 December 2011) was a North Korean politician who was the second Supreme Leader (North Korean title), supreme leader of North Korea from Death and state funeral of Kim Il Sung, the de ...
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 The Korean People's Army (KPA; ) encompasses the combined military forces of North Korea and the armed wing of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). The KPA consists of five branches: the Korean People's Army Ground Force, Ground Force, the Ko ...
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. Pak Thae-song is the
Chairman The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the gro ...
(Speaker), while Pak Chol-min and Pak Kum-hui are the vice-chairmen. On April 14, 2012, during the fifth session of the 12th Supreme People's Assembly
Kim Jong Un Kim Jong Un (born 8 January 1983 or 1984) is a North Korean politician and dictator who has served as supreme leader of North Korea since 2011 and general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012. He is the third son of Kim ...
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". 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. On 11 April 2019, Choe Ryong-hae was appointed chairman of the Presidium.


Tenures


Elections and membership

Under the Constitution of North Korea, all
citizens Citizenship is a membership and allegiance to a sovereign state. Though citizenship is often conflated with nationality in today's English-speaking world, international law does not usually use the term ''citizenship'' to refer to nationality; ...
20 and older, regardless of
party A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a Hospitality, host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will oft ...
affiliation, political views, or religion, are eligible to be elected to the legislature and vote in elections. All candidates were selected by the
Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea The Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea (DFRK), also known as the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland (DFRF) or the Fatherland Front, was a North Korean united front formed on 25 June 1949 and led by the Worker ...
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 was 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. 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.


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:Europa Publications Staff. (2002). ''The Far East and Australasia 2003.'' Routledge. pp. 680. *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; *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 Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of govern ...
, 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. While the Supreme People's Assembly is vested with great powers on paper, in practice the principles of
democratic centralism Democratic centralism is the organisational principle of most communist parties, in which decisions are made by a process of vigorous and open debate amongst party membership, and are subsequently binding upon all members of the party. The co ...
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.


Standing Committee

The
Standing Committee A committee or commission is a body of one or more persons subordinate to a deliberative assembly or other form of organization. A committee may not itself be considered to be a form of assembly or a decision-making body. Usually, an assembly o ...
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. The Standing Committee consists of the
Chairman The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the gro ...
, vice-chairmen, a secretary-general and other members, elected by the SPA. The secretary-general, a largely symbolic role, is currently Jong Yong-guk. The functions of the Standing Committee are to: *Convene sessions of the Supreme People's Assembly; *Examine and approve new state legislation when the SPA is in recess; *Supervise the when the SPA is not in session; *Supervise the Central Court when the SPA is in recess; *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; *Form or dissolve state ministries; *Supervise laws of State organs; *Supervise parliamentary committees; *Organize elections to the Supreme People's Assembly; *Ratify treaties with foreign countries; *Appoint, transfer, or remove officials and judges when the SPA is in recess; *Grant special pardons or amnesties. 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. In 1998, a constitutional amendment abolished the posts of the
President of North Korea The president of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea () was the head of state of North Korea from 1972 to 1998. The position was only occupied by Kim Il Sung from 1972 until Death and state funeral of Kim Il Sung, his death in 1994. Aside ...
,
Central People's Committee Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...
, 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. Of these organs, the Presidium was seen as the successor of the Standing Committee. 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.


Chairman

Prior to the creation of the post of
President of North Korea The president of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea () was the head of state of North Korea from 1972 to 1998. The position was only occupied by Kim Il Sung from 1972 until Death and state funeral of Kim Il Sung, his death in 1994. Aside ...
in 1972, the Chairman of the Standing Committee was the country's ''de jure'' head of state. Currently, the
Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly The Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly () is the presiding officer of the Supreme People's Assembly, the legislature of North Korea.Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Article 94 The Supreme People's Ass ...
is the SPA speaker, while the Chairman of the Standing Committee performs certain representative functions ordinarily accorded to a head of state. 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. 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.


Committees

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


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.


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.


Legislation Committee

The Legislation Committee is chaired by
Choe Pu-il General Choe Pu-il (; born 6 March 1944) is a North Korean politician who served as head of North Korea's Ministry of Social Security (North Korea), Ministry of People's Security. Biography In April 1992, he was promoted to major general and to ...
. The other members are Kim Myong-gil, Kang Yun-sok, Pak Jong-nam, Kim Yong-bae, Jong Kyong-il, and Ho Kwang-il.


Deputy Credentials Committee

The Deputy Credentials Committee is chaired by Kim Phyong-hae.


List of office holders


Results


1948 North Korean parliamentary election (first)


2019 North Korean parliamentary election (latest)


Notes


See also

* Politics of North Korea *
List of legislatures by country This is a list of legislatures by country. A "legislature" is the generic name for the national parliaments and congresses that act as a plenary general Deliberative assembly, assembly of Representative democracy, representatives and that have th ...
*
National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...
, the South Korean legislature


References


Citations


Works cited

* *


External links


Supreme People's Assembly
at the
Inter-Parliamentary Union The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU; , UIP) is an international organization of national parliaments. Its primary purpose is to promote democratic governance, accountability, and cooperation among its members; other initiatives include advancing g ...

North Korean Government
CIA World Factbook
FACTBOX - North Korea's main political bodies and power
''Reuters''. {{coord, 39, 01, 43, N, 125, 44, 59, E, region:KP_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki, display=title Government of North Korea Korea, North Korea, North
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...