North Korean officials, not exactly known for their love of democracy, reported a stunning 99.97 percent voter turnout for the recently held State controlled local elections, which are held to “elect” representatives nominated by the ruling party.
In the past State controlled media have reported a 99 per cent voter turnout with all those voting saying “yes” for uncontested candidates.
The official Korean Central News Agency Pyongyang (KCNA) said “All participants took part in the elections with extraordinary enthusiasm to cement the revolutionary power through the elections of deputies to the local people’s assemblies.”
Apparently the only eligible voters who do not cast a vote are those out of the country according to KCNA. Even the elderly, the infirm and hospital patients vote through “mobile ballot boxes”.
Setting an example for the democratic process was North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who cast his vote in front of a barrage of media cameras.
In 2011, 28,116 representatives were elected as deputies to local assemblies with not a single vote of opposition to the candidates.
During each four-year term, the State approved candidates who enter the election unopposed, meet once or twice each year to “approve” budgets and “endorse” leaders put forward by the ruling party.
Last year, North Korea, ruled by the Kim family for more than sixty years, held national elections for its rubber-stamp parliament with a 99.97 percent voter turnout.
Foreign Affairs experts said the only worthwhile thing that comes from such election is that they provide a glance into who is still favored by Kim Jong-un and who is not, as dozens of senior North Korean officials have been kicked out of seats of power by the leader since he took control following his father’s death in 2011. One of those was his once favored and powerful uncle Jang Song-Thaek, who was sentenced to death in 2013 for being “factionalist scum”.
In April Kim Jong-un also replaced his defence minister, whom he had executed with an array of anti-aircraft guns, highlighting that the nation of North Korea is run in a truly medieval fashion.
Stay Connected
