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2nd LD Writethru: DPRK leader elected chairman of new state institution

Xinhua, June 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

Top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un on Wednesday was elected chairman of a newly-created institution at the 4th session of the 13th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), or the country's parliament, state television reported.

Three members of the standing committee of the political bureau of the central committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea were elected vice-chairmen of the institution, namely Hwang Pyong So, Choe Ryong Hae and Pak Pong Ju.

Eight others were appointed members of the institution, some of whom are members of the political bureau of the WPK Central Committee.

The session revised the Constitution of the DPRK.

The new state institution, called the State Affairs Commission, was set up to replace the National Defense Commission, according to the revised Constitution. Kim has led the National Defense Commission as first chairman since April 2012.

In addition, the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office and the Supreme Court were changed to the Central Public Prosecutors Office and the Central Court respectively, according to the revision.

A personnel adjustment was also made to the Presidium of the SPA, the cabinet and legal institutions. The Secretariat under the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea will be removed.

Kim was promoted from the first secretary to the chairman of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea at the 7th party congress held in early May. He is also holding the post of the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army.

At the meeting, Premier Pak Pong Ju touched upon the five-year economic development plan, which was initiated by Kim at a rare party congress convened in 36 years.

A loyalty campaign called "200-day battle" from June 1 until Dec. 17 was rolled out nationwide to mark a starting point for implementing the plan.

Pak said that the objective of the plan was to vitalize people's economic life, ensure balance between various economic departments and lay a foundation for a sustained development of the national economy.

He stressed that the cabinet should stick to the party's line of Byungjin, or parallel development of the economy and nuclear weapons, address electricity shortage, put basic industries back on a normal track, and increase output of agriculture and light industry so as to fundamentally improve people's livelihood.

The SPA, as the country's top legislature, has the power to adopt, amend or supplement enactments to the constitution, determine state policies and budgets, and adjust the leadership. The third session of the 13th SPA was held in April 2015. Endit