North Korea Acknowledges Dissenting Votes in Rare Election Mention
Analysts Dismiss Acknowledgement as Political Posturing
Elections Held Under Strict Control in Hermit Kingdom
SEOUL, Nov 28 (Reuters) - North Korea on Tuesday made a rare mention of dissenting votes in recent elections, although analysts dismissed it as an attempt to bolster the regime's legitimacy and appease growing discontent among the population.
North Koreans voted to elect the country's rubber-stamp parliament, the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), for the second time since Kim Jong-un assumed power in 2011. The election, held every four or five years, is widely seen as a formality to legitimize the ruling party's absolute control over the country.
In a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the Central Election Committee announced that 99.98% of eligible voters had cast ballots, with Kim Jong-un securing 100% of the vote in his Mount Paektu constituency.
However, the statement also acknowledged that a small number of votes had been cast against Kim and other candidates. This is an unusual admission in North Korea, where elections are tightly controlled and dissenting voices are swiftly suppressed.
Analysts believe that this acknowledgement is primarily aimed at projecting an image of transparency and addressing growing discontent among the population, which has been hit hard by economic sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite this rare mention of dissenting votes, the North Korean elections remain far from being free or fair. Candidates are handpicked by the ruling party, and voters are given only one choice on the ballot. The SPA's role is largely ceremonial, and its decisions are dictated by the ruling party leadership.
The acknowledgement of dissenting votes should not be interpreted as a sign of political liberalization in North Korea. The regime remains firmly in control, and any dissent is swiftly dealt with by the country's vast security apparatus.
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