Kim Jong-il Votes in N.Korea's Local Polls

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il casts his vote for the election of deputies to the provincial, city and country people's assemblies, into a ballot box at a polling station in Hamju county, South Hamgyong province, North Korea, July 29, 2007. This picture was released by the Korea Central News Agency on July 30, 2007. REUTERS/Korea News Service (NORTH KOREA) JAPAN OUT


Kim Jong-il Votes in N.Korea's Local Polls

North Korea held elections for deputies to provincial, city and county people's assemblies on Sunday. Leader Kim Jong-il cast his ballots at a booth in the Chusang Co-op Farm in Hamju County, South Hamgyeong Province, the North's official Korean Central News Agency reported. Addressing farm workers after voting, Kim urged them to bring about a new surge in production of agricultural goods.
An official from South Korea’s Unification Ministry said the North Korean leader did not run in the local elections since he is a member of the Supreme People’s Assembly, the central parliament. Kim cast his ballot in South Hamgyeong Provice rather than Pyongyang because he is staying near Hamheung, the official explained. In the North's last election of local councilors in August 2003, Kim voted at the Kim Il Sung National War College in Pyongyang.
In North Korea, local assemblies review local budgets and select judges and the chairman of local people’s councils. In 2003, North Koreans elected 26,650 local representatives. After announcing the schedule for the local elections on July 19, the regime banned North Koreans from traveling abroad and ordered those staying abroad to return home.

(englishnews@chosun.com )



Kim Jong Il Voting in Hamju on the 29th
Did he break away from his voting district?
By Shin Joo Hyun, Chief Reporter
[2007-07-31 10:12 ]
dailynk.com

On the 29th, the Chosun (North Korea) Central News Agency reported that for the Local People’s Assembly representative elections that is held every four years, Kim Jong Il voted at the Hamju’s polling booth located at the Choosang Collective Farm.
The Chosun Central News Agency reported that Kim Jong Il was accompanied by the Central Committee’s Secretary Kim Ki Nam and Director Park Nam Ki and visited the polling site in the 85th Voting District’s 36th Division. After receiving voting ballots from the district chairman, Kim Jong Il voted for the district and county representative candidates separately.
Ordinary North Korean citizens vote at the district in which their resident registration is filed but Kim Jong Il presented an exception by voting for the regional candidates at the actual site of Hamju in South Hamkyung.
During the 11th Supreme People's Assembly’s Representative Elections in 2003, Kim Jong Il was elected as the representative for the then 1st division of the 649th Voting District. However, the voting was conducted at the 658th Voting District located at the Kim Il Sung National War College which serves as the base for the military unit with the most elite academic and combat practice.
The Chosun Central News Agency reports that at that time, Kim Jong Il received a voting ballot from the 139th division of the 658th Voting District’s Committee Chairman at the voting site and voted for the representative candidate of the voting district, People’s Army Commissioned Officer Joo Soon Choel
Lee Joo Il, Defector and editorial writer for the Free North Korea Broadcasting (Free NK) stated, “Every citizen is ordered to vote at their respective voting districts but it shows that he [Kim Jong Il] votes in any voting district. Strictly speaking, it is wrong but citizens believe that it is acceptable for Kim Jong Il and thus they think it is reasonable.”
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Regional Institutions Structure Law regulates that the Local People’s Assembly consists of representative who are elected through a secret ballot while keeping to voting principles of being regulatory, fair and direct.
Kim Jong Il had attended the performance of the State Academy Beryozka Dance Troupe of Russia three days ago on the 26th at the Hamheung Grand Theater of South Hamkyung so it is assumed that he stayed around Hamheung for at least four days.
The North Korean Local People's Assembly elections is a process of electing People's Assembly representative at the province and the city under the direct control of the central government, and general cities, gun (county levels) and districts. At the election held in August 2003, 26,650 delegates were elected to the local People’s Assembly representative.
The election takes place by the sole candidate coming forth and people voting for or against the candidate.
Approaching the Representative Elections on the 29th, the North Korean authorities presented a poster with the election slogan “Let everyone vote in agreement” with a blatant campaign to induce agreement.
The Local People Assembly receives reports regarding the recognition and execution of the local budget and formulates strategies regarding the execution of national laws in respective regions. In addition, the Assembly executes the election and summons of the respective Chairman, Vice Chairman, Head Official and Committeeperson as well as the Judge of the respective courts.
Similarly, the Assembly has the authority to approve the budget and project plans as well as the structure of the Local Administrative Commission but in actuality only serves as an institution to ratify matters decided on by the Party.
Conversely, according to North Korean internal news sources, with the Assembly Elections, the Party is greatly enforcing controls on its citizens including national border regulations, concentrated regulations on cell phone use as well as returns from overseas travelers.
In addition, it is also reported that the National Security Agency and the Public Security Forces has enforced security measures for historical landmarks, exhibitions research labs and statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il by establishing surveillance groups consisting of peasant laborers from every institution and enterprise to stop anti-regime activity that may occur during the election period. SIC