North Korea is set to hold elections for delegates to the Supreme People’s Assembly, their equivalent of South Korea’s National Assembly, on March 15. As the 15th Supreme People’s Assembly takes shape, observers are keenly watching to see if it will implement follow-up measures related to inter-Korean relations, as discussed at the recent 9th Party Congress.
On Wednesday, the official party newspaper Rodong Sinmun announced that, in accordance with Article 90 of the Constitution of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), elections for delegates to the 15th Supreme People’s Assembly will be held on March 15, 2026.
The delegates for the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly, elected in March 2019, have significantly exceeded their constitutional five-year term.
Traditionally, the Supreme People’s Assembly convenes after a Party Congress to finalize decisions on constitutional amendments, legislation, appointments to state bodies like the Cabinet, and budget reviews. This upcoming session is expected to address organizational matters, adopt laws related to the five-year economic development plan, settle last year’s budget, approve this year’s budget, and make personnel decisions.
There has been ongoing speculation about whether the assembly will reinstate Kim Jong Un’s title of Chairman and incorporate the territorial clause that reflects the regime’s two hostile states theory.
North Korea also released the roster of the Central Election Commission for the upcoming elections. The newspaper stated that the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has organized the Central Election Commission for the 15th Supreme People’s Assembly delegate elections as follows, and disclosed the list of committee members.
Kim Hyung-sik has been appointed as the chairman, Jeon Kyung-cheol as the vice chairman, and Ko Gil-sun as the secretary. The standing committee comprises ten members: Jang Chang-hyuk, Han Young-guk, Bang Du-seob, Kim Geum-cheol, Ri Myong-guk, Mun Chol, Han Jong-hyuk, Jeon Hyang-sun, Park Hee-cheol, and Jeon Seong-min.