Parliamentary elections were held in North Korea on 8 March 2009 to elect the members of the 12th Supreme People's Assembly. They were originally scheduled to be held in August 2008 but were postponed. Analysts believe they were postponed due to Kim Jong-Il falling ill.
There was one candidate in each of the 687 voting districts, all of whom were pre-approved by North Korean leadership.
Kim Jong-Il ran for election in constituency No. 333. That particular constituency was chosen because the number 3 is a lucky number among Koreans.
Background The 11th Supreme People's Assembly was dissolved and elections were called for North Korea's 687 electoral districts on 7 January 2009. The elections were to be originally held as per North Korea's constitution in August 2008.
The delay was not officially explained, but was believed to be related to the health of Kim Jong Il. The elections also come after a significant cabinet shuffle in recent months that saw the replacement of at least five members of cabinet. The elections were called for 8 March 2009 allowing leave for a 60-day campaign period.
After dissolution, nominating committees in all 687 districts nominated Kim Jong Il to stand for election. The 333rd district was the first to file their nomination, so he decided to run in that district. In the previous assembly, Kim Jong Il represented the 649th election district.
Electoral system Voter registration was conducted by the Resident Registration Bureaus of the National Security Agency. Completing the lists of voters also had the side effect of discovering missing residents who might have defected and left the country. Allegations had surfaced of bribes being paid to officials conducting registration drives to declare family members who have defected as being deceased. The voter registration deadline for the election took place on 4 March 2009.
The bribes themselves have been overlooked by the National Security Agency as the North Korean government demands the lists be complete to ensure that there is 100% turnout in the vote. It is easier to explain missing persons as being dead than to have an incomplete list of voters.
The voting for deputies of the Supreme People's Assembly in 2009 consisted of using paper ballots containing the name of a single candidate nominated in each district. To indicate support for the candidate, a ballot was dropped into the box unmarked. If the voter did not support a candidate, that voter had to cross out the name of the candidate before dropping the ballot.
The voting method was a departure from prior elections. In previous elections, the system consisted of two ballot boxes at each polling station. The boxes, one black and one white, were to indicate support for or against a candidate. There was no system in place to handle absentee ballots for North Koreans living abroad and there did not appear to be a system of advanced voting in place. Proxy votes were ordered to be cast by family members of North Korean defectors who were detained in prisons within China. All voting and the validation of official returns was overseen by the Central Election Committee.
Voting was supposed to be a secret process, but with the method of casting ballots, it became obvious who was opposed to the candidates. The voter had the option of going to a booth to cross out the name or dropping the ballot directly in the box. Penalties for voting against a candidate or not voting were severe. Electors who refused to vote were sent to labor camps. A member of the National Security Agency was stationed at every polling station to keep an eye out for people who used or looked at the red pen.
Conduct
Election day began with editorials being published in all state run media, encouraging voter participation. Voting officially began at 9:00am local time. Mobile polling stations were dispatched to infirm residents who could not travel to polling stations to cast ballots. Citizens of foreign nations resident in North Korea were also encouraged to come out and cast a ballot if they so wished.
By noon on election day, the Korean Central News Agency had reported that 71% of registered North Korean voters had turned out to cast ballots.
Voters in North Korea had dressed up for election day, wearing suits and chosŏn-ot, traditional Korean dresses.
The most watched race of the election was district 333 where leader Kim Jong Il was running. On 9 March 2009, North Korean media announced that Kim Jong Il was unanimously re-elected to parliament. The election committee also stated that 99.98% of all registered voters took part in voting, with 100% voting for their candidate in each district.
The election was a largely peaceful event, but some vandalism of candidate posters, along with anti-election graffiti, occurred in Mundeuk, South Pyongan Province. Signage had also been changed on polling stations, as official signage was replaced with new signs misspelling "election booth."
Peter Hughes, the British ambassador to North Korea, garnered significant outrage and controversy from around the world after he blogged about the election having a festive atmosphere. The outrage was caused by claims that his blog read more like an official North Korean press release as he did not mention in his blog the negative aspects of the election, such as citizens being forced to vote and that there was only a single candidate to vote for.
Results Official election results were announced by the Central Election Commission in March 2009. The official results showed 324 of the 687 Deputies had been replaced and were new to power with the rest being re-elected. A large portion of the Deputies elected were to fill vacancies from those who died. No form of appointment or by-elections currently exists to put Deputies into the Supreme Peoples Assembly between elections.
Elected members The following were elected as members of parliament:
Electoral District: Ri Ul-sol Electoral District: Kim Yong-bok Electoral District: Kim Kyong-hui Electoral District: Kang Jun-ho Electoral District: Kim Yong-nam Electoral District: Im Man-soon Electoral District: Ryoo Chung-ryol Electoral District: Kim Bok-nam Electoral District: Hong So-hon Electoral District: Tak Hua-suk Electoral District: Mun Sang-min Electoral District: Ri Tong-chan Electoral District: Mun Son-bul Electoral District: Kim Sok-nam Electoral District: Sin Yong-chol Electoral District: Pak Pong-nam Electoral District: Pak Kyu-hong Electoral District: Cho Myong-lok Electoral District: Kim In-nam Electoral District: Ri Jae-kang Electoral District: Kim Kwang-chul Electoral District: Kim Yong-ju Electoral District: Choe Hong-Il Electoral District: Ho Jong-suk Electoral District: Kim Kyong-su Electoral District: Kim Song-hi Electoral District: Ri Myung-ok Electoral District: Song Chun-sik Electoral District: Yuk Sok-chon Electoral District: Hwang Kil-chol Electoral District: Jang Song-thaek Electoral District: Ri Kyong-il Electoral District: Kim Ung-kwan Electoral District: Kim Dong-pyut Electoral District: Byon Sseub-ho Electoral District: Ri Yong-mu Electoral District: Ri Sun-im Electoral District: Kim Song-hui Electoral District: Jong Dong-du Electoral District: Song Ja-reeb Electoral District: Yun Ki-jong Electoral District: O Kuk-ryol Electoral District: Kang Nam-ik Electoral District: Jon Kyong-su Electoral District: Kim Yong-nam Electoral District: Ri Kun-il Electoral District: Pak Kwan-o Electoral District: Kang Son-ju Electoral District: Kim Myong-hwan Electoral District: Byun Yong-reeb Electoral District: Jong Kwang-hyuk Electoral District: Jong Dal-son Electoral District: Kim Hua-suk Electoral District: Jong Hyon-yong Electoral District: Ri Yong-chol Electoral District: Kim Sae-myong Electoral District: Kim Ki-nam Electoral District: Kim Ho Jae Electoral District: Han Jong-hyuk Electoral District: Kim Bok-sil Electoral District: Kim Kyong-ok Electoral District: Pak Hui-kwan Electoral District: Riu Mi-yong Electoral District: Jon Hui-suk Electoral District: Jo Yon-jae Electoral District: Kim Song-kyu Electoral District: Kim Yang-gon Electoral District: Kang Ki-som Electoral District: Ri Hua-sil Electoral District: Ri Sung-ho Electoral District: Pak Jin-sik Electoral District: Rho Jong-nam Electoral District: Choe Ik-kyu Electoral District: Jon Jin-suh Electoral District: Kim Kuk-tae Electoral District: Ho Song-kil Electoral District: Noh Kwang-chol Electoral District: Hui Yong-ae Electoral District: Kim Yu-ho Electoral District: Kim Jong-su Electoral District: Lim Nam-su Electoral District: Ri Ung-chan Electoral District: Kim Jong-lin Electoral District: Ri Yong-chol Electoral District: An In-Kon Electoral District: Ri Jae-il Electoral District: Jang Chul Electoral District: So Ju-chong Electoral District: Pak Kil-nam Electoral District: Kim Bong-sil Electoral District: Kim Si-hak Electoral District: Ri Kil-song Electoral District: Ri Ryong-nam Electoral District: Sin O-sun Electoral District: Han Chol Electoral District: Kim Chol-min Electoral District: Kim Yong-dae Electoral District: Jong Myong-sun Electoral District: Jae Hui-jong Electoral District: Kim Yong-il Electoral District: Kim Duk-sam Electoral District: Pak Nam-ki Electoral District: Kil Chol-hyuk Electoral District: La Dong-hui Electoral District: Yang Hyong-sop Electoral District: Kim Sun-hua Electoral District: Ha Ung-chun Electoral District: Im Jong-sil Electoral District: Cha Sung-suh Electoral District: Kim Myong-hak Electoral District: Ryang Jang-kyun Electoral District: Kim Yong-song Electoral District: Jong Myong-jo Electoral District: Ji Dong-sik Electoral District: Min Kyong-nam Electoral District: Hong Kwang-il Electoral District: Kim Jong-suk Electoral District: Jin Yong-il Electoral District: Kim Hyoung-nam Electoral District: Kim Ui-sun Electoral District: Kim Ki-ryong Electoral District: Han Jong-hua Electoral District: Ro Song-sil Electoral District: Kim Huan-suh Electoral District: Ri Kwang-ho Electoral District: Choe Yong-rim Electoral District: Pak Yong-sun Electoral District: Koh Myong-hui Electoral District: Yu Jang-sok Electoral District: Kim Yong-gil Electoral District: Lim Don-hua Electoral District: Choe Ryong-ik Electoral District: Ju Myong-son Electoral District: Pak Sun-nyo Electoral District: Yu Pom-sun Electoral District: Jon Il-chun Electoral District: Paek Song-nam Electoral District: Choe-Ung-kwon Electoral District: Jo Kyong-chil Electoral District: Hwang Hak-won Electoral District: Chae Jang-dong Electoral District: Kim Kyong-son Electoral District: Kim Kwang-yon Electoral District: Kim Kum-suk Electoral District: Pak Chun-dam Electoral District: Jon Yong-sik Electoral District: Ri Kyong-ryol Electoral District: Kim Jong-myong Electoral District: Ri Man-ho Electoral District: Kim Sun-jib Electoral District: Hyon Sok-kil Electoral District: Kim Ki-kun Electoral District: Kim Kwang-yong Electoral District: Pak Yun-il Electoral District: Kim Ok-ryon Electoral District: Moon Myong-hak Electoral District: Kim Jong-im Electoral District: Kwong Hyuk-bong Electoral District: Kim Dok-il Electoral District: Jang Ung Electoral District: Choe Ji-son Electoral District: Pyo Hui-song Electoral District: Yong Man-sik Electoral District: Kil Lyae-suh Electoral District: Kim Hyo Electoral District: Kim Yong-hua Electoral District: Kim Hong-kon Electoral District: Ryang Suh-jong Electoral District: Sin Ung-sik Electoral District: Ri Sung-ho Electoral District: Kim Yong-il Electoral District: Kim Yon-hua Electoral District: Ri Nyong-kun Electoral District: Jo Won-taek Electoral District: Kim Myong-il Electoral District: Choe Jong-ryul Electoral District: Kim Chol-ung Electoral District: Hyon Ung-sil Electoral District: Kim Myong-hui Electoral District: Kim Hyong-sik