NORTH Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has romped home to another sham election win after his party secured 99.93 per cent of the votes.
The long-reigning tyrant has pledged to make his own nation “less backwards” as he prepares to head up the Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) alongside his powerful younger sister.
A total of 687 deputies were elected to the SPA under dubious voting circumstances.
All North Koreans over the age of 17 were given an ultimatum of either approving or rejecting a single candidate put forward by Kim’s ruling Worker’s Party.
All of the candidates were approved after receiving 99.93 per cent of the votes in favour with just 0.07 per cent against.
Voter turnout was claimed to be at 99.99 per cent, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
KCNA said the result reflected citizens’ “ardent desire and self-confidence to reliably defend their glorious state political system”.
Kim himself wasn’t actually up for re-election.
North Korea is expected to reappoint him as Chairman of the State Affairs Commission in the coming weeks however.
He has held the role ever since he created it in 2016 to help solidify his control of the country.
The despot was seen casting his vote at a coal mine in Chonsong before he gave a brief speech.
Kim’s sister merciless sister Kim Yo-jong was among the biggest beneficiaries of the vote as she was elevated to department director within the party’s apex central committee.
Yo-jong, 38, is feared to be tipped to rule the hermit kingdom with an iron fist until Kim’s daughter Kim Ju-ae, 13, is ready to take charge, experts told The Sun.
Michael Madden, director and founder of NK Leadership Watch, said Yo-jong has been groomed to be Kim’s immediate successor – and would eventually hand over power to his daughter, Kim Ju-ae.
The veteran North Korea watcher warned she will undoubtedly begin her reign of terror as she means to go on.
“If she assumes power she might have to resort to killing a chicken to scare the monkeys,” Madden said.
“Kim Yo-jong’s first day in power will be like going into prison. She will have to stab the biggest guy she can find.”
The first meeting of the new assembly will convene on March 22.
The congress has been held once every five years in the last decade.
Meetings such as these are considered to be the most important political events in the country.
