North Korea on Wednesday announced elections to its rubber-stamp parliament in March. The election will be the first under leader Kim Jong-Un as he seeks to stay gripped to power after executing his uncle.
The presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) decided the election — held every five years — would take place on March 9, the state news agency said.
It comes at a time of heightened speculation over the stability of Kim’s regime and growing concern over the North’s nuclear weapons programme.
The last parliamentary vot was held inn 2009 under Kim’s father Kim Jong-Il. The process was internationally believed to be a highly staged process with only one approved candidate standing for each of the 687 districts.
Kim succeeded his father in December 2011, and the March election will be closely watched for any further revelations on the changing power structure in Pyongyang.
He has already overseen sweeping changes within the North’s ruling elite – including the execution of his powerful uncle and political mentor Jang Song-Thaek last month on charges of treason and corruption.
The announcement of the vote coincided with the young leader’s birthday on Wednesday. His precise age is a matter of some speculation due to confusion about the year of his birth, with various reports that it was 1982, 1983 or 1984.
In another news, NBA Basketball player Dennis Rodman angrily defended his visit to North Korea in an interview with an international news broadcasting channel.
Rodman’s visit has been criticised by rights groups, with Washington making it clear he does not represent the US.
His team of former National Basketball Association (NBA) players will take on a North Korean team in a match later on Wednesday in Pyongyang in celebration of the North Korean leader’s birthday.
