Economic Budget Increase in the 1% Range... "Ongoing Impact of Corona"
Adoption of Pyongyang Munhwaeo Law, Strengthening Resident Surveillance and Control
Kim Yong-chol, Previously Marginalized, Spotted... Ministry of Unification Says "Too Early to Judge"
[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] North Korea held the Supreme People's Assembly, equivalent to South Korea's National Assembly, and has stepped up ideological control. Analysts suggest that the absence of Chairman Kim Jong-un at this meeting reflects the lack of economic achievements North Korea can showcase.
According to the Korean Central News Agency on the 19th, North Korea held the 8th session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly over two days, from the 17th to the 18th, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang. The meeting discussed ▲tasks for 2022?2023 ▲budget for 2022?2023 ▲adoption of the Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Law ▲status of the Central Prosecutor's Office operations ▲organizational (personnel) matters. Overall, it was evaluated as a step to strengthen ideological control, with no separate messages directed at South Korea or the United States.
'Where is Kim Jong-un, who declared the 'legalization of nuclear forces'?
Chairman Kim did not appear at this meeting. There was no mention of a message from the supreme leader. Although Kim Jong-un is not a delegate to the Supreme People's Assembly and thus not required to attend, he has typically delivered external messages in the form of policy speeches at key times. A representative example was his declaration of the legalization of nuclear forces in September last year.
Regarding his absence, analysts suggest it is because North Korea has no economic achievements to present. In fact, during this meeting, North Korea prepared this year's budget by increasing expenditures by only 1.7% compared to the previous year, with the economic sector budget rising by a mere 1.2%. This is interpreted as indicating that North Korea's finances remain tight, as it had entered austerity measures due to the impact of COVID-19.
Professor Park Won-gon of Ewha Womans University’s Department of North Korean Studies said, "Kim Jong-un's direct appearance means there is a need to show achievements or deliver important messages, but this time there was nothing to boast about." He added, "Nuclear forces have been sufficiently showcased, and now there should be something to present regarding economic issues, but judging by the budget formation, North Korea's current situation appears to remain poor." Professor Park particularly noted that the increase in expenditures and economic sector budgets remaining in the 1% range "shows that North Korea itself acknowledges it is insufficient to return to the economic level before the COVID-19 outbreak."
"Do not use South Korean speech patterns"... North Korea's sign of ideological relaxation
No new policies were presented at this meeting, which Kim Jong-un missed. Instead, the Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Law, which had been announced since last year, was adopted, and the status of the Central Prosecutor's Office?equivalent to South Korea's prosecution?was discussed, indicating a move to strengthen surveillance and control over residents.
North Korea has gone through procedures such as research on the draft law and council discussions, and the law was adopted unanimously at this meeting. Kang Yoon-seok, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly, stated, "The Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Law regulates issues to thoroughly realize the Korean Workers' Party's plans and intentions to reject non-normative language elements in our linguistic life."
Simply put, the Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Law legally prohibits the use of 'South Korean speech patterns.' This is due to concerns that the spread of Seoul dialect and English expressions could weaken regime cohesion. This reflects that South Korean cultural content such as dramas and movies is circulating among residents, causing unrest.
According to the National Intelligence Service, last year North Korea conducted a large-scale crackdown targeting youth expressions such as 'namchin' (boyfriend), 'jjokpallinda' (embarrassed), and calling husbands 'oppa' (older brother). Notably, in December 2020, North Korea enacted the Anti-Reactionary Thought and Culture Rejection Law, imposing the death penalty on those distributing South Korean videos as a harsh measure.
A Ministry of Unification official told reporters on the day, "The content of the Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Law includes expressions such as thoroughly realizing the Party's plans and intentions." He added, "Since the legal details are not yet known, it is premature to evaluate, but overall, it is speculated that the intention is to strengthen social control."
'Kim Yong-chol, sidelined after the Hanoi no-deal, spotted on the presidium'
This Supreme People's Assembly session drew attention as former United Front Department head Kim Yong-chol reappeared on the presidium. Considered one of North Korea's senior figures, he relinquished major party positions after the 'Hanoi no-deal' but still seems to hold Kim Jong-un's trust and plays a certain role in state affairs.
He led negotiations with the United States but stepped down from his position as head of the United Front Department, the party's department for South Korea affairs, at the expanded 5th plenary meeting of the 8th Party Central Committee in June last year. Subsequently, at the 7th session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly in September of the same year, he also lost his title as a member of the Standing Committee. Furthermore, at the year-end plenary meeting, he was not even on the presidium, leading to speculation that he might have been dismissed from the Political Bureau.
However, with Kim Yong-chol reappearing at this Supreme People's Assembly, it is observed that although he relinquished all party positions, he retains his position as a member of the State Affairs Commission. The Korean Central News Agency reported, "Members of the State Affairs Commission, Vice Chairman, Secretary, and members of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly, and Vice Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly (also seated on the presidium)," which supports the possibility that he attended in his capacity as a State Affairs Commission member.
Additionally, at this Supreme People's Assembly, Park In-cheol, Chairman of the Central Committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions, was appointed as chairman, and Maeng Kyung-il, a key figure in the South Korea line, was appointed as vice chairman. Maeng Kyung-il played a leading role in improving inter-Korean relations during the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. During the Olympics, he reportedly facilitated talks between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former United Front Department head Kim Yong-chol, alongside Andrew Kim, head of the CIA Korea Mission Center.
A Ministry of Unification official said, "We need to observe more regarding changes in Kim Yong-chol's status. Considering that the chairman position of the Supreme People's Assembly has been vacant since 2021, normalizing the presidium operation is a positive aspect, but there seems to be nothing particularly noteworthy about Vice Chairman Maeng Kyung-il," offering a cautious evaluation.
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