▲ This file photo, captured from footage of North Korea's state-run Korea Central Television on July 22, 2019, shows the North's leader Kim Jong-un (R) casting a ballot for elections to pick new deputies of local assemblies the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) N Korea-local elections

(LEAD) N. Korea's revision of election law does not mean guarantee of suffrage: Seoul

(ATTN: ADDS more details in paras 9, 12)

By Kim Soo-yeon

SEOUL, Nov. 9 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's recent revision of an election law does not appear to genuinely guarantee people's suffrage, South Korea's unification ministry said Thursday.

In unspecified constituencies, North Korea has permitted two candidates to be recommended for the Nov. 26 election to pick new deputies for local assemblies under the revised election law, according to the Minju Choson, the North's Cabinet newspaper.

The move appears to intend to introduce competition to the election system, albeit on a rudimentary level, as the ruling Workers' Party has handpicked one candidate per electoral district so far.

The ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs said the latest change in the North's election system does not indicate the introduction of a free election.

"Facing international criticism (about the North's election system), North Korea apparently revised it as a means of taking care of public opinion amid continued economic challenges," a ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

"This is far from the actual guarantee of people's suffrage," he said, adding that North Korea has used elections as a way to strengthen its grip on people.

Under the revised election law, North Korea holds a preliminary election to decide on a final candidate for new deputies of local assemblies, after reviewing the qualifications of two candidates. The final candidate will be allowed to meet with voters during their election campaigns.

At polling stations, the North will also set up two separate ballot boxes of different colors -- one for approval and the other for disapproval, according to the ministry.

"(The principle of) secret voting has not been kept so far (in North Korea)," the official said in response to concerns that placing the two ballot boxes mars secret voting as it will be easy to see whether people vote for or against.

North Korea earlier announced a plan to hold elections in late November to choose new deputies for local assemblies of provinces, cities and counties across the nation.

The local elections are held every four years, and the number of seats is determined by the population of each area. But the elections are widely viewed as a formality, as the candidates are hand-picked by the North's ruling party and rubber-stamped into office.

In March 2024, North Korea plans to hold an election to pick deputies for the Supreme People's Assembly, the country's rubber-stamp parliament.

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