North Korea to hold elections in March

[china_police]

North Korea will hold parliamentary elections in March, state media has announced, in a move analysts say will likely usher in changes aimed at preparing for a post-Kim Jong-il era.
The announcement comes after South Korean officials said on Tuesday that Pyongyang had replaced almost a quarter of the North’s cabinet, in a shake-up aimed at reviving the communist nation’s economy and promoting younger talent.
The issue of who will succeed Mr Kim has been the subject of intense interest ever since the 66-year-old reportedly suffered a stroke in August, mostly because he has not publicly named a successor to rule the nuclear-armed state.
The reclusive leader also has a history of diabetes and heart disease, according to South Korean officials.
The elections for the 12th Supreme People’s Assembly would be held on March 8, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said on Wednesday. Those aged 17 and over can vote in the direct election, but the process is strictly controlled.
Candidates are picked by either the government or the ruling communist party, and it is very common for only one candidate to run for each electoral seat and for voters to cast a yes or no ballot, experts say.
North Korean media boasted a 99.9 per cent voter turnout and a 100 per cent level of support for every candidate in the previous election.
Professor Yang Moo-jin from Seoul’s University of North Korean Studies said he expected the election to make “a generational change” in the North’s military-centred political structures with a post-Kim future in mind.
“North Korean Supreme People’s Assembly deputies are usually appointed to key posts in the party and military after the elections. Kim Jong-il may try to have a shake-up in personnel and institutional systems,” he said.
Elections for the rubber-stamp parliament did not take place in 2008 when its five-year term expired, amid speculation about Mr Kim’s health.
Officials in Seoul and Washington have said that Mr Kim suffered a stroke in August, although Seoul officials say he made a good recovery.
“The election announcement means that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has recuperated from his illness to the degree that political schedules can get back to normal,” said Yang.
A South Korean government think-tank said in a report last week that North Korea would use the elections to promote younger economic experts and lay the groundwork for whoever succeeds Mr Kim.
The Institute for National Security Strategy, an arm of the National Intelligence Service, said that the current Songun, or Army First, policy was expected gradually to give way to more pragmatic policies.
Analysts in Seoul said the North, which suffered a devastating famine in the 1990s, was also hoping to bring about an economic recovery.
Pyongyang on Monday and Tuesday held mass rallies across the nation, including a 100,000-strong gathering in the capital, to launch a drive to rebuild the economy, state media said.
And in a New Year joint editorial, the secretive state stressed its “far-reaching target to open the gate to a thriving nation” in 2012, the centenary of the birth of its late founding leader Kim Il-sung.
North Korea, which operates on a planned economy, was ravaged by a famine that killed hundreds of thousands of people in the mid to late-1990s and still relies on foreign aid to feed millions.
Outdated facilities, a crippling energy shortage and a prolonged nuclear standoff with the West have complicated efforts for economic revival.

[Fade]

Interesting when coupled with the fact a successor has been named. Winds of change finally blowin up North? Makes me wonder if Kim is still alive/in control

[Hellfish]

This is an interesting development.

[Rictor]

Meh. It's like trying to revive a Ford Model T with a new paint-job.

I say let it crumble, which it already has in all but name, and then hope the South Korea is up the difficult task of rebuilding.

[Bombtrack]

He's alive. Just hangs out at home now though.

http://beconfused.com/images/2007/10/North-Korean-leader-Kim-Jong-Il.jpg

Body doubles do the rest.

[SBL]

This is an interesting development.
Yes indeed.

[Hellfish]

Yes indeed.

What is your analysis?

[Jobu]

Which is the "change" candidate?

[Bombtrack]

Which is the "change" candidate?

You must be having a terrible day.

[Jobu]

You must be having a terrible day.

Same as every other day. I live in Groundhog Day.

[ggk]

He's alive. Just hangs out at home now though.

http://beconfused.com/images/2007/10/North-Korean-leader-Kim-Jong-Il.jpg

Body doubles do the rest.



http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/1957/padayapaxr2.jpg

North Korea? Elections?.....

[SBL]

What is your analysis?
Honestly, who knows? I think it's probable (and somewhat clear,imo) that the ruling circle have been taking Kim's recent illness as an opportunity to shuffle the deck in their favor, and I think economic changes are probably in the cards (perhaps something akin to China's style of central capitalism?). I read an article that suggested the black market threatens to beyond the government's control- likely they want to try and curb that trend.
Even the military must understand that they can't run an army on hand-outs, which have been increasingly hard to come by in recent years.

It's hard to say really, until the actual results of the election are made known. It could all just be a dog-and-pony show to try and curry favor with the new administration. I think it's interesting that they made the announcement today. I'd be interested to know if Obama accepted the North Korean delegate to the inauguration. Also, a link to the article would be nice.

[dave81]

Have you ever seen a North Korean "election"? The ballots have one thing on them: Kim Jong-il and the Worker's Party. They're handed to the "voters" as they wait outside of the polling place, and then they drop them into the box once they enter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qtH4IC6nZA

[Scousemouse]

Honestly, who knows? I think it's probable (and somewhat clear,imo) that the ruling circle have been taking Kim's recent illness as an opportunity to shuffle the deck in their favor, and I think economic changes are probably in the cards (perhaps something akin to China's style of central capitalism?). I read an article that suggested the black market threatens to beyond the government's control- likely they want to try and curb that trend.
Even the military must understand that they can't run an army on hand-outs, which have been increasingly hard to come by in recent years.

It's hard to say really, until the actual results of the election are made known. It could all just be a dog-and-pony show to try and curry favor with the new administration. I think it's interesting that they made the announcement today. I'd be interested to know if Obama accepted the North Korean delegate to the inauguration. Also, a link to the article would be nice.

Agreed... I don't see any change coming about, why would there be? No sides are pressuring the regime to do so, Chinese / ROK / US / Russia, all are fine with sustaining the regime and trying to engage with them...no doubt with the wish that reform will come by that way but slowly...

DPRK objectives at the moment are basically reform economy (perhaps as you say along the lines of the Chinese... many officials today in DPRK were trained in China at times of economic reforms in the 70s) as the black markets are getting away from them, even in Pyongyang but mostly up North.... and then also reengagement with the US and global recognition.. but they do it there way... each time they say something new or add another bargaining chip (i.e. nuclear weapons) they inevitably gain new bilateral talks / agreements... foreign policy often appears irrational but I don’t think this is correct at least with respects to the regimes own interests...

Interesting times though and be good to see how Obama administration works with them; probably similar to second term of Bush and very similar to Clinton admin (many of the same people as in Clintons admin working on this issue now with Obama’s State Dept.) i.e. engagement

As for this 'election' it looks as convincing as Saddam's old games...

[SBL]

^Well, I think the DPRK is certainly due for some change- I don't think they have much of a choice. The question is how and to what degree. Policy? System? Regime?

We can only wait and see.

[BearInBunnySuit]

I'd be interested to know if Obama accepted the North Korean delegate to the inauguration.

I read a Korean news report that the NK delegation was rejected.

[Flagg]

Is this for real?

Or is it some new form of British humour that is so subtlely sharp that I don't yet realize I've just had the piss taken out of me for thinking this might be real?

What are the sources for this story?

[spider1]

They have only one party no? they have only one to choose Lol

[budgie]

He's alive. Just hangs out at home now though.

http://beconfused.com/images/2007/10/North-Korean-leader-Kim-Jong-Il.jpg

Body doubles do the rest.

Hmm Sapporo Classic. Sold only in Hokkaido they tell me...BTW I don't know that guy.

[BearInBunnySuit]

Report from Korea's conservative Chosun Ilbo

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200901/200901080006.html


N. Korea to Hold 'Election' in March

North Korea will hold what is billed as an election for the Supreme People's Assembly, the parliament, on March 8, the official Korean Central News Agency said Wednesday. The assembly rubberstamps personnel, budget and external policy decisions for the regime.

The term of deputies is five years. The 11th SPA, elected in 2003, expired in September last year, but fresh elections have been delayed. South Korean government officials and experts speculated that the delay was due to leader Kim Jong-il's stroke in August last year. "The announcement suggests that Kim has recovered to the extent that they can now conduct parliamentary elections," a South Korean government official said. "As in the past, Kim will probably demonstrate his fitness at home and abroad by showing up before about 700 SPA deputies during a full session."

Experts say it may be worth watching parliamentary sessions for hint at who will be Kim's successor, because the assembly elects the chairman of the Defense Committee, which is currently headed by Kim, and its members. The committee is North Korea's de-facto highest power organ.

Experts say it may be worth watching parliamentary sessions for hint at who will be Kim's successor, because the assembly elects the chairman of the Defense Committee, which is currently headed by Kim, and its members.

Chung Young-tae, a senior fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said, "Kim was reelected chairman of the committee in the 10th and 11th assemblies in 1998 and 2003. It seems that a third-term Kim Jong-il regime will be launched through the new assembly to be organized this year."
From BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7815387.stm


N Korea announces March election

North Korea has announced it will be holding elections to its rubber-stamp parliament in March - the first in six years.

Only one candidate, chosen by supreme leaders, will stand for each seat, with their election probably a formality.

But some analysts suggest the election may be part of a wider shake-up of the country's leadership.

On Tuesday, South Korea said at least five North Korean cabinet ministers had been replaced in previous months.

Changes in the North Korean governing elite may be a response to the widely rumoured ill health of autocratic leader Kim Jong-il, and the lack of an obvious successor.

They also take place against the backdrop of North Korea's long-ailing economy, which recently suffered an additional blow when South Korea withheld aid which would have been worth about 5% of the $20bn (£13bn) the economy generates each year.

'100% support'

In a two-line statement, the official North Korean news agency announced elections to the 12th Supreme People's Assembly would take place on 8 March.

It will be six years since the last such elections, which recorded a 99.9% voter turnout and 100% level of support for each candidate.


Kim Jong-il may try to have a shake-up in personnel and institutional systems
Prof Yang Moo-jin
University of North Korean Studies, Seoul
Such elections are usually held every five years, but last year's were postponed - possibly, analysts suggest, due to the health of Kim Jong-il, who is widely believed to have suffered a stroke in August.

The North has refused to countenance the reports of illness, and has released a stream of reports and photographs of Mr Kim on state visits, though with little proof of where or when the visits took place.

Mr Kim is now believed to be firmly back in control, but the health scare has served to underline the apparent absence of a clear successor to him.

The election could mark a "generational change" in the North's military-oriented political structure, with a post-Kim future in mind, Prof Yang Moo-jin from Seoul's University of North Korean Studies told AFP news agency.

"North Korean Supreme People's Assembly deputies are usually appointed to key posts in the party and military after the elections. Kim Jong-il may try to have a shake-up in personnel and institutional systems," he said.

Liberalisation fears

In addition to the legislative elections, North Korea has also made moves to reshuffle its cabinet, South Korea's unification ministry said on Tuesday.

Five ministers from the transport, industrial and agricultural sectors were replaced, in what may be part of a drive to reform the country's weak industrial infrastructure.

In addition, some reports suggested the finance, commerce and trade ministers had also been replaced. If true, the reports would add credence to suggestions that the North is keen to revive its stagnant economy - battered by mismanagement, natural disasters and diplomatic isolation, in part due to its prolonged stand-off with the West over its nuclear programme.

In a new year editorial, North Korea announced a "far-reaching target to open the gate to a thriving nation" in 2012, the centenary of the birth of late "Great Leader" Kim Il-sung.

But it appears fearful of the political consequences that might accompany economic liberalisation, and has taken steps to row back on moderate economic reforms instituted in 2002.


I couldn't find anything on N. Korea's KCNA site yet but here's an interesting piece about the ROK, complete with Cold War lingo.
http://www.kcna.co.jp/index-e.htm





S. Korean Puppet Army Plans to Create Apache Unit



Pyongyang, January 20 (KCNA) -- The south Korean puppet warmongers are mulling creating an Apache unit.



A spokesman for the puppet Office for Defense Affairs on Jan. 15 announced that the office is now studying the proposal to purchase Apaches in an effort to create an Apache unit of two squadrons and would decide on the method of going ahead with the purchase of Apaches soon when adopted.



The puppet military was reported to have started examining the proposal for introducing 36 U.S.-made second-hand Apaches and worked out a plan to hold a working consultation with the U.S. over this in the future.



Such a military move timed to coincide with the action taken by the U.S. to bring back a squadron of Apaches of U.S. troops to the mainland from south Korea till coming March indicates that the war hysteria of the puppet bellicose forces going against the trend of the times towards the removal of the danger of war has reached a very serious phase.

[SBL]

I read a Korean news report that the NK delegation was rejected.

Thanks Bunnysuit. That KCNA report is a piece of work. I'm going to have to start reading that regularly.rofl

[rchad]

I'm waiting for the punch line?