Supreme People's Assembly

The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA; Template:Korean) 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.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

It consists of one deputy from each of North Korea's 687 constituencies,<ref name="arch_IPUP">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> elected to five-year terms.<ref name=pk>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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. Template: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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> This was increased to 687 following the 1986 election.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

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.<ref>Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments</ref>

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.<ref>"North Korean legislature seen set to name Kim president", CNN, August 20, 1998. Template:Webarchive</ref>

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.<ref name='KoreaHerald2007-10-04'>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref><ref name=1stSession14thSPA>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Pak Thae-song is the Chairman (Speaker), while Pak Chol-min and Pak Kum-hui are the vice-chairmen.<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>

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".<ref>"DPRK revises constitution, elects Kim Jong Un as top leader", 2012-04-14 Template:Webarchive</ref> 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.<ref name=38north-20170428>Template:Cite news</ref> On 11 April 2019, Choe Ryong-hae was appointed chairman of the Presidium.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Tenures

Term	Deputies	Start	End	Duration
1st	572	2 September 1948	18 September 1957	Template:Age in years and days
2nd	215	18 September 1957	22 October 1962	Template:Age in years and days
3rd	383	22 October 1962	14 December 1967	Template:Age in years and days
4th	457	14 December 1967	12 December 1972	Template:Age in years and days
5th	541	12 December 1972	15 December 1977	Template:Age in years and days
6th	579	15 December 1977	5 April 1982	Template:Age in years and days
7th	615	5 April 1982	29 December 1986	Template:Age in years and days
8th	655	29 December 1986	24 May 1990	Template:Age in years and days
9th	687	24 May 1990	5 September 1998	Template:Age in years and days
10th	687	5 September 1998	3 September 2003	Template:Age in years and days
11th	687	3 September 2003	9 April 2009	Template:Age in years and days
12th	687	9 April 2009	9 April 2014	Template:Age in years and days
13th	687	9 April 2014	11 April 2019	Template:Age in years and days
14th	687	11 April 2019	Incumbent	Template:Age in years and days
References: <ref name=" SPA tenures ">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation								CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Elections and membership

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.<ref name="votes">Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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:<ref name=euro>Europa Publications Staff. (2002). The Far East and Australasia 2003. Routledge. pp. 680. Template:ISBN</ref>

• 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;<ref name=38north-20160408>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 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.<ref name=euro/>

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.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />

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.<ref name='KoreaHerald2007-10-04'/>

The Standing Committee consists of the Chairman, vice-chairmen, a secretary-general and other members, elected by the SPA.<ref name=unikorea>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The secretary-general, a largely symbolic role,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> is currently Jong Yong-guk.<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/> The functions of the Standing Committee are to:

• Convene sessions of the Supreme People's Assembly;<ref name=euro/>
• Examine and approve new state legislation when the SPA is in recess;<ref name=euro/>
• Supervise the Template:Ill when the SPA is not in session;Template:Sfn
• Supervise the Central Court when the SPA is in recess;Template:Sfn
• 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;<ref name=euro/>
• Form or dissolve state ministries;<ref name=euro/>
• Supervise laws of State organs;<ref name=euro/>
• Supervise parliamentary committees;<ref name=unikorea/>
• Organize elections to the Supreme People's Assembly;<ref name=euro/>
• Ratify treaties with foreign countries;<ref name=euro/>
• Appoint, transfer, or remove officials and judges when the SPA is in recess;<ref name=euro/>
• Grant special pardons or amnesties.<ref name=euro/>

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.<ref name=euro/>

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.Template:Sfn Of these organs, the Presidium was seen as the successor of the Standing Committee.Template:Sfn 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.<ref>Template:Cite constitution</ref>

Standing Committee Members

Position	Name	Template:Abbr
Chairman	Choe Ryong-hae	<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>
Vice Chairman	Vacant
Vice Chairman	Thae Hyong-chol	<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>
Secretary General	Jong Yong-guk	<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>
Member	Kim Yong-chol	<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>
Member	Ju Yong-gil	<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>
Member	Kim Chang-yop	<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>
Member	Chang Chun-sil	<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>
Member	Kang Myong-chol	<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>
Member	Kang Su-rin	<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>
Member	Pak Myong-chol	<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>
Member	Kim Nung-o	<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>
Member	Kang Ji-yong	<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>
Member	Ri Myong-gil	<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>
Member	Ri Chol	<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>

Chairman

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} 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.Template:Citation needed Currently, the Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly is the SPA speaker,<ref name=Leadership>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> while the Chairman of the Standing Committee performs certain representative functions ordinarily accorded to a head of state.Template: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.Template:Sfn

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.<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>

Committees

In addition to the Standing Committee, the SPA has four parliamentary committees: the Foreign Affairs Committee, Budget Committee, Legislation Committee,<ref name="1stSession14thSPA"/> and Deputy Credentials Committee.<ref name="DeputyCredentials"/> The constitution mandates the Legislation and Budget Committees and leaves the choice of having more committees to the SPA.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Before 1998, there was an additional committee called the Reunification-policy Deliberation Committee.Template:Sfn The Foreign Affairs Committee, too, was discontinued in 1998,Template:Sfn but Template:As of is operating again.<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>

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.<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>

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.<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>

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.<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/>

Deputy Credentials Committee

The Deputy Credentials Committee is chaired by Kim Phyong-hae.<ref name=DeputyCredentials>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

List of office holders

Chairman of the Standing Committee
Chairman		Political party		Term Start	Term End	Election
File:Kim Tu-bong 2.jpg	Kim Tu-bong {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} 1889–1958	rowspan="1" style="background:Template:Party color" |	Workers' Party of North Korea	9 September 1948	20 September 1957	1st SPA
		rowspan="1" style="background:Template:Party color" |	Workers' Party of Korea
File:Ch'oe Yonggŏn.JPG	Choe Yong-gon {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} 1900–1976	rowspan="1" style="background:Template:Party color" |	Korean Democratic Party	20 September 1957	23 October 1962	2nd SPA
		rowspan="3" style="background:Template:Party color" |	Workers' Party of Korea
		23 October 1962		16 December 1967	3rd SPA
		16 December 1967		28 December 1972	4th SPA
File:Hwang Jang Yeop.jpg	Hwang Jang-yop {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} 1923–2010	rowspan="3" style="background:Template:Party color" |		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 {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (1925–2022)	rowspan="3" style="background:Template:Party color" |		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
President		Political party		Term Start	Term End	Election
File:Kim Yong-nam in Moscow.jpg	Kim Yong-nam {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (born 1928) File:Signature of Kim Yong-nam.svg	rowspan="4" style="background:Template:Party color" |	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
File:Choe Ryong-Hae.jpg	Choe Ryong-hae<ref name=1stSession14thSPA/> {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (born 1950)	rowspan="1" style="background:Template:Party color" |		11 April 2019	Incumbent	14th SPA
Chairman of the Assembly
Chairman		Political party		Term Start	Term End	Election
File:허헌.jpg	Ho Hon {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}) (1885–1951)	rowspan="1" style="background:Template:Party color" |	Workers' Party of Korea	September 1948	1951	1st SPA
File:1948.04.05 백남운.jpg	Paek Nam-un {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (1894–1979)	rowspan="1" style="background:Template:Party color" |		25 November 1957	1972	4th SPA
	Han Duk-su {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (1907–2001)	rowspan="1" style="background:Template:Party color" |		1972	1986	5th SPA 14th SPA 6th SPA 7th SPA
Chairman
Chairman		Political party		Term Start	Term End	Election
	Choe Thae-bok {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (1930–2024)	rowspan="1" style="background:Template:Party color" |	Workers' Party of Korea	5 September 1998	11 April 2019	10th SPA 11th SPA 12th SPA 13th SPA
File:Pak Thae-song.jpg	Pak Thae-song {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (born 1955)	rowspan="1" style="background:Template:Party color" |		11 April 2019	17 January 2023	14th SPA
	Pak In-chol {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}	rowspan="1" style="background:Template:Party color" |		17 January 2023<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		Incumbent

See also

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

References

Works cited

• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book

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.