North Korea claims that in the 'elections' held to vote 'yes' for pre-selected candidates for local councils, '99.97 percent' participated. According to the official North Korean news agency, 'all participants, with exemplary enthusiasm, took part in the council elections to strengthen the power of the revolution.' The news agency stated that only those who were outside the country could not vote, and the elderly and sick cast their votes in 'mobile ballot boxes.' In almost all instances where 'elections' are held in that country, it is reported that 99 percent or more of citizens participated. Elections mean voting 'yes' or 'no' for representatives chosen for councils under government supervision. In 2011, more than 28,100 representatives received 'yes' votes for councils. No reports of a single 'no' vote were published. Councils meet once or twice a year to vote 'yes' on budgets or other matters. Governors and mayors, for whom voting is also held, are required to cooperate with local secretaries of the ruling party. No voting ceremonies are held for local party secretaries. North Korea previously held voting for its parliament in Esfand 1392 (March 2014). At that time, Kim Jong-un, the current leader of the Kim family, won with '100 percent' of the votes from his constituency. It was also reported that 'all eligible voters participated in the elections and all of them' voted for Kim Jong-un. The North Korean parliament has nearly 700 seats, and elections are held to vote 'yes' for the same number of representatives.
North Korea Held 'Elections' for Councils; 'Everyone' Participated
North Korea claims a 99.97% voter turnout in recent local council elections, where citizens voted 'yes' for pre-selected candidates. The elections are characterized by a lack of genuine competition, with reports of no dissenting votes. This reflects the regime's continued control over political processes and public perception.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
North Korea held local council elections where citizens reportedly voted 'yes' for pre-selected candidates, claiming a 99.97% participation rate. The elections lack genuine competition, with no dissenting votes reported.
- Elections are characterized by a lack of genuine competition and pre-selected candidates.
- Historically, North Korea reports near-total voter participation in its elections.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
North Korea's elections are largely symbolic, designed to reinforce the ruling party's authority rather than to reflect the will of the people. The country has a history of reporting near-total voter turnout in its elections.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%