Politics

The 11th Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK took place at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang on October 7-8.

Present there were deputies to the SPA, and as observers officials of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, the Standing Committee of the SPA, the Cabinet, ministries, national agencies and armed forces organs, chairpersons of provincial, city and county people’s committees and other officials concerned in Pyongyang and local areas.

The platform was taken by senior officials of the Party, the government and the military including Kim Tok Hun, Choe Ryong Hae and Ri Pyong Chol who are members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK, speaker and deputy speakers of the SPA, members of the State Affairs Commission and vice-chairperson, secretary general and members of the Standing Committee of the SPA.

Pak In Chol, speaker of the SPA, delivered an opening address.

As the session was declared open, the national anthem of the DPRK was played.

The 11th Session of the 14th SPA of the DPRK brought up the following agenda items for discussion:

First, on amending and supplementing some contents of the Socialist Constitution of the DPRK

Second, on deliberating on and adopting the Law of the DPRK on Light Industry

Third, on deliberating on and adopting the Law of the DPRK on External Economic Affairs

Fourth, on the state of inspection and supervision of the enforcement of the Law of the DPRK on Quality Control

Fifth, organizational matter

Choe Ryong Hae, chairman of the SPA Standing Committee, made a report on the first agenda item.

He said that in order for the Socialist Constitution to fully discharge its mission as a powerful legal weapon for glorifying the new era of a great powerful country, an era of our-state-first principle, it is needed to specify in it in time the WPK’s outstanding idea on national building and action programmes for it which meet the requirements of the changing and developing revolution and the aspirations and interests of the people.

He noted that the content of amending the working and voting ages of the DPRK citizens was reflected in the relevant agenda item as the age of students who finish senior middle schools changes from this year after the adoption of the Law of the SPA on Enforcement of the Universal 12-Year Compulsory Education System.

He said that the working and voting ages of citizens were rectified and stipulated in the supplemented amendments to the Socialist Constitution, making it possible to guarantee by law the right of schoolchildren to learn to their heart's content under the benevolent and most advantageous socialist educational system and the right of citizens to work by devoting all their wisdom and passion to the prosperity of the country with noble civic consciousness.

Saying that it is the steadfast will of the DPRK government to usher in a new era of comprehensive national rejuvenation by faithfully following the outstanding ideology and leadership of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un with the Socialist Constitution as a powerful political weapon for building a powerful country, he proposed the relevant draft amendment to the SPA for deliberation.

The session adopted with unanimous approval the ordinance of the DPRK SPA "On amending and supplementing some contents of the Socialist Constitution of the DPRK".

It discussed the drafts of the DPRK laws on light industry and external economic affairs as the following agenda items.

Kang Yun Sok, vice-chairman of the SPA Standing Committee, made a report on the second and third agenda items.

He said that the relevant draft laws reflect the principled issues arising in providing a firm legal guarantee for the rapid development of light industry, which plays an important role in improving the people's living standards, and in expanding external economic relations in a diverse way, and explained the relevant contents chapter by chapter.

The SPA Standing Committee submitted the drafts of the laws on light industry and external economic affairs in accordance with Article 95 of the Socialist Constitution to the SPA for deliberation.

At the session, speeches were made on the relevant agenda items by Kim Myong Hun, Kim Chang Sok, Jo Yong Chol, Pak Kun Sok, Mun Yong Son, Yun Jong Ho, Sin Chang Il and Kim Hye Yong.

They expressed full support to the drafts proposed for deliberation, acknowledging that they were drawn up to be able to provide legal environment and conditions for the development of light industry directly related to the improvement of the people's living standards and contribute to the independent and sustainable development of the national economy by conducting external economic affairs on a wide scale.

The session held study and consultative meetings on the drafts of the sector-specific laws, deliberated on and supplemented constructive opinions of deputies and adopted the ordinances of the DPRK SPA "On Adopting the Law of the DPRK on Light Industry" and "On Adopting the Law of the DPRK on External Economic Affairs".

At the discussion of the fourth agenda item, a report was made on the inspection and supervision of the enforcement of the Law on Quality Control to be followed by speeches by Jo Kyong Guk, Ri Song Bom, Rim Sun Hui, Ri Yong Chol and Kim Yun Sil.

The reporter and speakers said that the quality of products is one of important criteria showing the level of economic and technological development and civilization of countries and referred to the successes made in the work for improving the quality of products in hearty response to the important tasks set forth at the plenary meetings of the Party Central Committee and to a series of shortcomings that should be overcome.

They stressed that the observance of the law on quality control is the defence and fulfilment of the people's demands and interests and vowed to further intensify the quality control work and enhance the role of the supervisory organs so as to make positive contributions to the national economic development and the improvement of the people's living standards.

Deputies came up with opinions and plans for improving quality control as required by the reality.

The session adopted a decision of the DPRK SPA "On Thoroughly Implementing the Law of the DPRK on Quality Control".

The organizational matter was discussed as its fifth agenda item.

No Kwang Chol was appointed as minister of National Defence of the DPRK.

Ri Man Su was appointed as minister of State Construction Control.

Kim Song Bin was appointed as chairman of the State Commission of Science and Technology.

Pang Tu Sop was by-elected as chairman of the Legislation Committee of the SPA.

Speaker Pak In Chol delivered a closing address.

The 11th Session of the 14th SPA rounded off its work amid the high political consciousness and enthusiasm of the participants to thoroughly guarantee the state administration through their positive actions and efforts for the prosperity of the great state and the promotion of the people's well-being, deeply aware of their responsibility as representatives of the people.