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DPRK ends parliamentary election

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-09 21:39

PYONGYANG -- Kim Jong-il, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has been unanimously elected to a seat in the parliament, its state media said Monday.

Kim, who registered in the Constituency No. 333, was unanimously elected to a seat in the parliament.

Kim Jong-il, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), casts his ballot for assembly elections at Kim Il-sung Political University, in Pyongyang, March 8, 2009, in this picture released by DPRK's official news agency KCNA. [Agencies]

The parliamentary election in DPRK was wrapped up with all the candidates elected to the top legislature, the official KCNA news said on Monday.

Some 99.98 percent of the registered voters across the country participated in Sunday's balloting and all of the 687 candidates were elected to the 12th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), the election committee said.

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The official KCNA quoted the election committee as saying that the leader gained 100 percent approvals following a 100 percent turnout.

"This is the expression of all service persons and people's absolute support and profound trust in Kim Jong-il," the KCNA said.

The election committee announced a list of the members of the 12th SPA after the elections.

The SPA is DPRK's highest legislative body. The 11th SPA election was held in 2003 with 687 members elected. The election in 2008 was bypassed for unknown reasons.

The KCNA said all the registered voters, including overseas voters, had participated the election, but it didn't release the results of other election districts so far.

Although all constituencies throughout the country nominated him as candidate, Kim registered at Constituency No. 333 of the Korean People's Army, as "he put forward the People's Army as the mainstay and powerful main force of the revolution and trained it into the invincible revolutionary army," KCNA said.

Parliamentary elections started Sunday morning throughout the country to choose members of the top legislature in the country.

Eligible voters went to poll stations in different electoral districts to cast their votes for members of the 12th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), who will serve a five-year term in accordance with the DPRK constitution.

DPRK top leader Kim Jong-il cast his ballot in a poll station in Kim Il-sung Politics University, the KCNA said, adding that he was warmly welcomed by the servicemen of the Korean People's Army (KPA) and their families voting there.

Kim, after voting, had a talk with KPA officer Chen Il, candidate of the constituency.

Afterwards, he made an inspection tour to the University, calling for efforts to cultivate more political personnel with strong party spirits and all-round talents.

The SPA is the DPRK's highest legislative body. The 11th SPA election was held in 2003. The election in 2008 was bypassed for unknown reasons.