North Korea has announced the candidates for the upcoming 15th Supreme People’s Assembly elections, scheduled for March 15.
On Friday, the ruling party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported that the registration of delegate candidates was finalized at a voter meeting to assess their qualifications for the Supreme People’s Assembly, in accordance with the election law for delegates to the People’s Assemblies of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The report added that local election committees are now publicizing the registered delegate candidates at all polling stations and conducting promotional activities to introduce them to the public.
North Korea has traditionally used these voter meetings to select the final delegate candidates for each electoral district from a larger pool of nominees.
The Supreme People’s Assembly functions as North Korea’s highest sovereign body, responsible for addressing the country’s constitution and various laws. The delegate elections are conducted in a manner similar to congressional elections in the U.S., with candidates chosen from regional electoral districts.
However, critics argue that the process is largely symbolic, amounting to little more than a formal vote on a single party-endorsed candidate, conducted through open voting.
While Supreme People’s Assembly delegates typically serve five-year terms, this election comes seven years after the 14th Assembly was elected in 2019. This adjustment in the election schedule is believed to be an effort to align with the timing of the party congress and the terms of the Supreme People’s Assembly delegates.