The Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea Held, 'No Message to South Korea as Kim Jong-un Absent'

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] North Korea held its second Supreme People's Assembly this year, but it has been confirmed that no messages regarding South Korea or foreign affairs were issued.

Korean Central News Agency reported on the 29th, "The 1st day meeting of the 5th session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly was held on September 28 at the Mansudae Assembly Hall."

At the meeting, Choe Ryong-hae, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly, and Kim Deok-hoon, Premier of the Cabinet, along with senior party and government officials who also serve as deputies, attended.

However, Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party, was absent, and no messages regarding South Korea or foreign affairs were delivered on the first day of the meeting.

On the first day, after discussing the previously announced adoption of the Si-gun Development Law and the Youth Education Guarantee Law, as well as the amendment and supplementation of the People's Economic Plan Law, it was decided to conduct a review before officially adopting these as laws.

Ko Gil-seon, Secretary of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly, emphasized, "At this meeting, by legally solidifying key issues arising from the independent and diversified development of Si-gun, youth education projects, and the planned management of the people's economy in accordance with practical demands, we will establish another legal guarantee to achieve victorious progress in socialist construction."

The meeting analyzed and summarized the achievements, experiences, and shortcomings since the enactment of the Recycling Law in April last year, and unanimously adopted the Supreme People's Assembly decision titled "On Thorough Implementation of the Recycling Law."

The issue of changing the name of the Korea Air Transport Administration to the National Aviation Administration and organizational matters were also raised as agenda items, but these are expected to be discussed in the meeting continuing on the 29th.

The Supreme People's Assembly is the highest sovereign institution under the North Korean constitution and corresponds to the National Assembly in South Korea. It usually holds regular sessions around April each year to amend the constitution and laws and to appoint personnel to major state organs such as the Cabinet and the State Affairs Commission.

This year's Supreme People's Assembly was held for the second time following the 8th Workers' Party Congress in January. North Korea previously held the Supreme People's Assembly twice in 2012, 2014, and 2019 as well.