North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament has re-elected Kim Jong Un as its leader following a highly choreographed vote. The election, which marks his third consecutive term as head of the Supreme People’s Assembly, was described by state news agency KCNA as reflecting “the unanimous will and desire of all the Korean people”.
Analysts note that elections in North Korea are designed to give the Kim regime a veneer of democratic legitimacy. The Supreme People’s Assembly formally approves state policy crafted by the ruling Workers' Party. Following his re-election, state media lauded Mr Kim, 40, as a “prominent thinker-theoretician” and “great strategist of state building”.
Photos of the event showed Mr Kim dressed in a formal western suit with a tie as top officials applauded in front of two giant statues of his father and grandfather at Mansudae Assembly Hall. Mr Kim is the third-generation ruler of the country founded by his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, in 1948. He took power after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011 and was recently re-elected as head of the Workers' Party, cementing his 15-year grip on the country’s sole ruling party.
The party won all 687 seats in the Supreme People’s Assembly in this year’s parliamentary election, but its share of the vote dropped from 99.99 per cent in 2019 to 99.93 per cent. Observers argued that state media reported the 0.07 per cent of votes against the party to create a false perception of limited opposition.
The weekend’s meeting also covered proposed constitutional amendments, steps to implement a five-year national development plan, and the 2026 state budget. Although no details were released, it is understood the constitution would be revised to formalise Mr Kim’s “two hostile states” policy towards South Korea, abandoning the long-standing goal of peaceful reunification.
Notably absent from the list of members of the State Affairs Commission was Mr Kim’s powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, who had served on the body since 2021. South Korea’s unification ministry said it was investigating her absence, but analysts suggested it did not signal a loss of influence. Professor Lim Eul Chul of Kyungnam University said her absence suggested a strategic division of roles, with her continuing to wield power as a department director in the Workers' Party.
