SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un cast his vote in local elections over the weekend to choose new representatives for local assemblies of provinces, cities and counties across the country, state media reported on Monday, with nearly 100 Percentage voting was recorded.
According to North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim visited a polling station set up in South Hamgyong province on Sunday and voted for candidates running in the election in the region.
Local elections in North Korea are held every four years and the number of seats is determined based on the population of each region.
The elections are widely seen as a formality, as candidates are selected by the North’s ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) and rubber-stamped into office, Yonhap news agency reports. .
KCNA said Kim met with the candidates and encouraged them to “become real representatives and true servants for the people who strive to protect and realize their rights, interests and needs”.
It said he was accompanied by prominent party officials, including Premier Kim Tok-hun and his younger sister Kim Yo-jong, and Deputy Director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department Hyeon Song-wol.
According to KCNA, 99.63 percent voting took place in the elections held on Sunday. Those who are working abroad or at sea did not participate in the elections.
North Korea has amended an election law such that two candidates can be recommended in some constituencies for local elections and a preliminary election can be held to decide on the final candidate.
At polling stations, North Korea installed two separate ballot boxes of different colors – one for approval and the other for rejection – a move that violates the principle of secret ballot as it is easy to see if people are voting in Seoul. Vote in favor or against. The Ministry of Unification said.
