North Korea is preparing to hold the inaugural session of its new Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) on Sunday, with attention centered on the potential inclusion of its antagonistic stance towards South Korea in the constitution. The SPA meeting follows the appointment of new deputies subsequent to the Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced that the session, scheduled in Pyongyang, will address various matters including the election of the president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the revision of the Socialist Constitution.
The SPA gathering is significant as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has characterized the relationship between the two Koreas as adversarial, prompting scrutiny on whether this viewpoint will be enshrined in the constitution. Observers from South Korea and neighboring nations are keen to see if Kim will discuss North Korea’s interactions with countries like the United States in his speech. The agenda will encompass the five-year national economic development plan endorsed during the congress and the 2026 state budget.
Anticipations are high for Kim’s re-election as the country’s paramount leader, maintaining his position as the chief of the State Affairs Commission. Jo Yong-won, a key figure in Kim’s circle, is likely to assume the role of chairman of the SPA standing committee, potentially replacing Choe Ryong-hae. The SPA typically assembles post-party congress to enact laws essential for executing decisions formulated during the congress, although it is commonly viewed as a body that approves decisions made by the ruling party.
