On Wednesday, the Ministry of Unification analyzed that the status and role of the Supreme People’s Assembly, North Korea’s highest sovereign body with legislative power, have been strengthened.
The ministry made this statement through reference materials related to the 1st session of the 15th Supreme People’s Assembly, suggesting that the party’s legislative activities will become more robust.
According to the Ministry of Unification, North Korea has aligned the leadership of the Supreme People’s Assembly with the Standing Committee through this personnel change. Jo Yong-won, elected as the chair of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, will also serve as its chairperson.
While the leadership of the Supreme People’s Assembly serves as a temporary organization for conducting meetings, the Standing Committee functions as a permanent power institution that performs legislative and national functions even during recess. This reflects an intention to concentrate power around the Standing Committee chair and enhance decision-making efficiency.
It appears that the chair of the Supreme People’s Assembly’s sectoral committee has been elevated from the party’s deputy director to a secretary position, with new deputy chairs established for each sector. This can be interpreted as a measure to enhance operational efficiency by subdividing legislative functions by sector.
The sectoral committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly now includes: Chair of the Legislative Committee Ri Hi-yong, Deputy Chair Bang Du-seop; Chair of the Budget Committee An Geum-cheol, Deputy Chair Park Jeong-geun; and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee Kim Song-nam, with Deputy Chair Kim Tok-hun.
Among them, Chairs Ri, An, and Kim Song-nam also serve as party secretaries and heads of specialized departments (equivalent to ministerial level). Additionally, Kim Tok-hun, appointed as Deputy Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, will also hold the newly established position of First Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet. This raises the possibility that he will take charge of the foreign economic sector.
Deputy Chair of the Budget Committee Park holds multiple roles, including Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Planning Commission, while Bang, Deputy Chair of the Legislative Committee, has been appointed as Minister of Social Safety.
It has been confirmed that Kim Cheol-won, the Chief Prosecutor, has been newly appointed as a member of the State Council. The Ministry of Unification anticipates that this will lead to strengthened legal and disciplinary control.
In light of the title of State Security Minister Li Qiang being designated as the Director of the National Intelligence Service, analysts suggest that North Korea aims to enhance its intelligence functions and project a more professional and modern image as a normal state in the international community.
North Korea’s recent reorganization of social safety within the cabinet and the introduction of a police system can also be interpreted in this context.
The Supreme People’s Assembly, as a legislative body, plays a role in formalizing the party’s decisions into state institutions such as the cabinet. The restructured state organization and personnel changes are expected to activate legislative activities related to party policies, following up on measures mentioned in the recent party congress, such as timely and rational sectoral legislation and amendments and enhancing the role of the highest sovereign institution.
It is also noteworthy that the recent Supreme People’s Assembly includes individuals responsible for key economic sectors such as heavy industry, regional development, and people’s livelihood as cabinet deputy prime ministers. It has been confirmed that Ri Kyung-il, former head of the Yongseong Machinery Union, and Kim Chang-seok, former Minister of Light Industry, have been newly appointed as deputy prime ministers.
This reflects North Korea’s intention to refine its management system across the economy and strengthen policy execution in production and livelihood sectors. Particularly, heavy industry, light industry, and regional development are core areas that Kim Jong Un’s regime has recently emphasized. Elevating the heads of these sectors to deputy prime minister level can be seen as a measure to maximize the performance of the entire economic sector through practical appointments.