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First of before we start we need to know the meaning of legislation in order to understand
Officially, the legislature, the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), is the highest organ
of state power. Its members are elected every 4 years. Usually only two meetings are
held annually, each lasting a few days. A standing committee elected by the SPA
performs legislative functions when the Assembly is not in session. In reality, the
Assembly serves only to ratify decisions made by the ruling KWP. The Supreme
People's Assembly’s candidates are picked by Democratic Front for the Reunification
of the Fatherland under Kim Jong-il. Although the Supreme People's Assembly is
smaller and more powerful Presidium, chosen from among its members.
Under the Constitution of North Korea, all citizens 17 and older, regardless of party
affiliation, political views, or religion, are eligible to be elected to the parliament and vote
candidates are selected by the democratic front for the Reunification of the Fatherland in
mass meetings which is held to decide on which candidate will be nominated. The
elections are done by secret ballot . Only the single person chosen by the Democratic
Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland appears on the ballot. In a scenario a voter
is allowed to cross out the candidates name if he or she feels to vote against him, but
this has to be done in a secret booth where no secrecy is allowed . As said by many
North Korean defectors this kind of act is too risky to even attempt.
• History
In 1990 the composition of the SPA was 601 seats held by the Workers' Party of
Korea, 51 seats held by the Korean Social Democratic Party, 22 seats held by the
Chondoist Chongu Party and 13 seats held by independents. The enhanced status of
the Korean People's Army was anticipated by the SPA election July 1998, when 101
military officials were elected out of 687 delegates. This was a big jump from the 57
The constitution provides for the SPA to be elected every five years by universal
suffrage. Article 88 indicates that legislative power is exercised by the SPA and the
Standing Committee of the SPA when the assembly is not in session. Elections to the
Ninth Supreme People's Assembly were held in April 1990, with 687 deputies, or
representatives, elected. The KWP approves a single list of candidates who stand for
election without opposition. Deputies usually meet once a year in regular sessions in
March or April, but since 1985 they have also met occasionally in extraordinary sessions
Committee, whose chairman as of 1992 was Yang Hyong-sop (also a full member of the
KWP Central Committee and a vice chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful
Reunification of the Fatherland). Assembly members are elected by the deputies, as are
the chairman and vice chairmen. The assembly also has five committees: Bills, Budget,