(Photo) A checkpoint set up at the entrance of a subway station. A soldier blocks a man with a small backpack from entering the station, saying “Please go out”. Photograph taken in Daesung District, Pyongyang by Koo Kwang-ho in June 2011 (ASIAPRESS)
◆With an 'election' scheduled for March 10th, the regime looks to protect voting booths from vandalism
There are two reasons for this strict watch. The first is, of course, to be on the alert so that there will be no incidents at home during Kim Jong-un's visit to Vietnam. If the international community reports a serious incident such as an uprising by dissidents or the defection of North Korean citizens or soldiers, it would give an impression of national instability.
The second reason is that Kim Jong-un is planning to stage an election for the Supreme People's Assembly on March 10, shortly after his return from Vietnam. This rubber stamp election is merely a formality, however, as 100 percent of the votes are typically cast in favor of nominated representatives. Despite this, the event plays an important role in maintaining the North Korean regime as it promotes the idea that it is backed by popular support.
The “term of office” for elected representatives of the Supreme People’s Assembly is 5 years, with elections last held in 2014. The outcomes of the 2014 elections were, of course, not highly contested but they did, however, cause an uptick in dissident activity. The authorities discovered that some polling stations had been vandalized overnight and that one sign had been graffitied over to change the word ‘선거장’ (polling station) to ‘서거장’ (death zone).
On February 18, a reporter partner from North Hamkyung Province made a call to ASIAPRESS explaining, “Each day, the inminban (local political unit) sets up security at the local polling stations. The local government and party officials have instructed them to not leave their posts for a single minute until the day of the election. This is the first time that such security measures have been taken so far in advance of an election. The people are bored stiff having to stand guard.”
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