▲ This Korean Central News Agency photo shows the first session of the 15th Supreme People's Assembly held from March 22-23, 2026. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

N Korea-parliament

N. Korea forecast to boost status, role of parliament: unification ministry

SEOUL, March 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears to be boosting the status and role of its parliament, the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), a move that may lead to increased legislation supporting ruling party policies, the unification ministry in Seoul said Wednesday.

The ministry made the assessment after North Korea held the first session of the newly elected 15th SPA earlier this week, following the ruling party's first congress in five years last month.

The two-day SPA session that concluded Monday included a wide-ranging personnel reshuffle among key cadres and a constitutional amendment.

On paper, the SPA is the highest state organ, though it has largely served as a rubber-stamp body backing decisions by the Workers' Party of Korea.

The unification ministry cited the election of former party secretary for organizational affairs Jo Yong-won as both SPA chairman and chairman of the SPA standing committee, saying it indicates an expanded role for the SPA chairman.

Previously, the two seats were held separately by different individuals.

The ministry pointed to the election of party secretaries as chairs of sectoral committees under the parliamentary standing committee -- posts previously headed by lower-rank party director-level officials -- predicting the new appointees would spearhead legislation going forward.

The latest SPA session also created the post for first vice premier and appointed former Premier Kim Tok-hun, who has expertise in economic affairs, to the position. The ministry assessed the move as an indication that North Korea is seeking to place greater focus on the economy.

Kim's concurrent appointment as vice chair of the SPA's foreign affairs committee may also suggest he could take charge of external economic relations, the ministry also said.

In the latest reshuffle, four of the seven vice premiers were replaced, while 17 of the 37 ministerial-level officials were newly appointed, the ministry added.

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