The Korea Herald

지나쌤

N. Korea to hold major legislative meeting this month

By 옥현주

Published : Sept. 5, 2014 - 09:49

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North Korea announced a decision Friday to convene another major meeting of its parliament later this month, which may herald the introduction of an important policy or Cabinet reshuffle.

The second session of the 13th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) will take place in Pyongyang on Sept. 25, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"A relevant decision of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly was promulgated on Sept. 4," it said in a brief English-language report.

It stopped short of revealing what will be discussed in the upcoming session.

The SPA is North Korea's rubber-stamp legislature. Its annual session is usually held in March or April, bringing together 687 delegates from across the country.

Sometimes, however, the North opens another meeting in the autumn especially for making public key policy or legal measures.

In an SPA session on Sept. 25, 2012, the North announced the expansion of the nation's compulsory education from 11 years to 12.

There is a possibility that new top military officials will be appointed, watchers said.

Choe Ryong-hae, elected as vice chairman of the National Defense Commission (NDC) in the April meeting, has taken up the post of the Workers' Party secretary. Jang Jong-nam, then defense minister and member of the commission, was replaced by Hyon Yong-chol.

In the inaugural session of the 13th SPA in April, meanwhile, Kim Jong-un was re-elected as head of the powerful NDC. 

In March, 687 new deputies were elected to the SPA for five-year terms in the first election of its kind under his rule.

He took power in December 2011 after the death of his father, Kim Jong-il. (Yonhap)