North Korea Holds Supreme People's Assembly Yesterday... Kim Jong-un Absent (2nd Report)

Prime Minister Kim Deok-hoon's Business Report

On the 17th, Korean Central TV reported that North Korean residents and soldiers held a military-civilian joint rally at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang to reaffirm their determination to implement the decisions of the 8th Party Congress. During the mass demonstration following speeches and discussions, participants marched holding large banners and placards with various slogans pledging to carry out the decisions of the Party Congress.

North Korea held the 4th session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on the 17th, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 18th.

The Supreme People's Assembly, which corresponds to the regular national assembly in the South, is the highest sovereign body under the North Korean constitution. It usually holds one regular session per year to amend the constitution and laws, appoint key state officials, approve the budget, and perform other roles.

Attending the meeting were Choe Ryong-hae, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly; Ri Pyong-chol, Vice Chairman of the Party Central Military Commission; and Kim Tok-hun, Premier of the Cabinet.

Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong-un and Party Secretary Jo Yong-won did not attend.

In his report on the Cabinet's work, Premier Kim Tok-hun pointed out, "Serious defects have appeared in the Cabinet's work during the implementation period of the five-year national economic development strategy," noting that "the power production targets were not met, and most major economic indicators set during the five-year strategy period fell short across nearly all sectors of the people's economy."

The agenda items decided at the meeting included ▲ organizational issues ▲ implementation of the five-year national economic development plan ▲ settlement of the 2020 national budget execution and the 2021 national budget.

Most ministerial positions in key Cabinet departments were replaced, but there was no mention of the anticipated reshuffle of the State Affairs Commission members, which had attracted attention.

Initially, North Korea had announced that the Supreme People's Assembly would be held in late this month (after the 20th), but the schedule was moved up somewhat.