North Korea sets March date for poll that may offer clues to power shift

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/08/north-korea-march-date-election-mps

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North Korea will elect members of its rubber-stamp parliament in March, it said on Wednesday, potentially offering a glimpse into any changes in the country's power elite after the execution of leader Kim Jong-un's uncle.

North Korea usually holds parliamentary elections every five years and the polls are largely a formality because candidates are believed to be hand-picked by the ruling Workers' party. But since members of the Supreme People's Assembly typically hold other top official posts, the elections are closely watched by outside analyst for any hints for a shift in power in the North.

This year's election will be the first since Kim took power after the death of his father Kim Jong-il in late 2011.

Kim Jong-un had his uncle Jang Song-thaek, a top offiicial, executed on treason charges last month.

Observers said the execution was aimed at bolstering Kim's power but also showed his grip on power was not as secure as his father's.

Kim is expected to use the elections to replace ageing members and a handful of legislators close to Jang with younger ones loyal to him, said analyst Cheong Seong-jang at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea.

The official Korean Central News Agency said the elections would be held on 9 March.

In the 2009 elections, 687 new assembly members were elected, with turnout of nearly 100% and all voters backing the sole candidate running in each constituency.

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