North Korea revised its constitution Thursday to further solidify its leader Kim Jong-un’s authority during its rubber-stamp parliamentary session.
 |
(Yonhap) |
The second session of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly convened Thursday and “made some amendments and supplements to the Socialist Constitution,” the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said.
This included a stipulation about the status of the chairman of the State Affairs Commission, a position held by Kim.
Kim was apparently absent from the meeting, which was attended by 687 deputies.
Citing a report by Choe Ryong-hae, president of the SPA Presidium, the KCNA said the SAC chairman is “elected” at the SPA “in accordance with the unanimous will of all the Korean people” and “not elected as deputy to the SPA.”
Choe said it “constitutionally fixes the status of the SAC chairman as the supreme leader of the party, state and armed forces of the DPRK elected in accordance with the unanimous will and desire of all the Korean people, both in name and reality,” KCNA said in the English-language report. DPRK stands for the country’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Another stipulation was added to the constitution, under which the SAC chairman is “authorized to promulgate SPA ordinances and major SAC decrees and decisions and to appoint or recall diplomatic envoys to foreign countries.”
“The legal status of the chairman of the SAC representing our state has been further consolidated to firmly ensure the monolithic guidance of the Supreme Leader over all the state affairs,” Choe was quoted as saying by the KCNA.
The role of the SAC was also strengthened to supervise the execution of the SAC chairman’s orders and the SAC’s ordinances, decisions and instructions.
During Thursday’s session, Kim Yong-dae was recalled, or fired, from the post of vice president of the Presidium of SPA, and was replaced by Pak Yong-il, chairman of the Central Committee of the Korean Social Democratic Party.
Contrary to speculations, no message related to Pyongyang’s external or economic policies was delivered during the SPA, which was held for the second time this year.
While the previous SPA session in April was held for two days, the latest meeting ended Thursday.
By Kim So-hyun (
sophie@heraldcorp.com)
