Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: KIM Chong-il, is the son of and designated successor
to former President KIM Il-song (who died 8 July 1994); formal
succession has not yet taken place (January 1995); election last held
24 May 1990 (next to be held by NA); results - President KIM Il-song
was reelected without opposition
head of government: Premier KANG Song-san (since December 1992)
cabinet: State Administration Council; appointed by the Supreme
People's Assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme People's Assembly (Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui): elections last held on 7-9 April 1990 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (687 total) the KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without opposition; minor parties hold a few seats
Judicial branch: Central Court
Political parties and leaders: major party - Korean Workers' Party
(KWP), KIM Chong-il, secretary, Central Committee; Korean Social
Democratic Party, KIM Pyong-sik, chairman; Chondoist Chongu Party, YU
Mi-yong, chairwoman
Member of: ESCAP, FAO, G-77, ICAO, IFAD, IFRCS, IMO, INTELSAT
(nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: none
US diplomatic representation: none
Flag: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star
@Korea, North:Economy