North Korea: Thousands will go to the polls in first local elections with more than one candidate

The citizens of North Korea were called to the polls today for local elections aimed at choosing provincial governors, mayors and members of local assemblies, and which for the first time had more than one candidate in some districts.

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“Members of this highly dignified republic must fulfill their duties” as voters and “remember the love and consideration they received from the Party and the State during the elections,” published North Korea’s main official newspaper, Rodong, in an editorial aimed at the celebration of the elections this Sunday.

The regime placed “visual means for elections” in Pyongyang and in all provinces, cities and electoral districts of the corresponding regions, the newspaper states, adding that “voter meetings were held across the country to examine the qualifications of the candidates”.

North Korea It has held these local elections every four years since 1999 and the number of seats is determined by the population of each area, although the process is considered a mere formality, since the candidates are previously selected by the Workers’ Party, commanded by the leader of the country now Kim Jong Un.

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So far, only one candidate per district, but in an apparent attempt to introduce some competition, this year some had two.

“We must strengthen the people’s government in every possible way and constantly improve its functions and roles in accordance with the demands of the times and revolutionary development,” Kim said on the occasion of the elections, according to statements published by Rodong, who noted that Today’s elections “mark another milestone in the strengthening of national sovereignty”.

Elected delegates “must be aware of the great trust and expectations of the people who proposed them as representatives of local sovereignty and do more for the Party, the revolution and the population”, continues the editorial.

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The South Korean Ministry of Unification, responsible for relations with the North, considers that this change regarding candidates, carried out as part of a recent review of the North Korean electoral law, does not represent the introduction of free elections, but rather an attempt to manage public opinion in the face of the prolonged economic difficulties that the country is experiencing.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.