Suggested citations
AGLC4 | 지방주권기관법 2012 [Local Organs of State Power Law of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (2012)] [tr Daye Gang].
Bluebook | Jibangjugwangigwanbeob 2012 [Local Organs of State Power Law of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (2012)] translated in Law and North Korea by Daye Gang, https://www.lawandnorthkorea.com/.
Adopted on December 19, Juche 63 (1974), as Decision No. 12 of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly
Amended and supplemented on August 26, Juche 82 (1993), as Decision No. 31 of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly
Amended and supplemented on January 28, Juche 88 (1999), as Directive No. 382 of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly
Amended and supplemented on August 21, Juche 96 (2007), as Directive No. 2333 of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly
Amended and supplemented on April 28, Juche 98 (2009), as Directive No. 27 of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly
Amended and supplemented on April 24, Juche 101 (2012), as Directive No. 2346 of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly
CHAPTER I. BASICS OF LOCAL ORGANS OF STATE POWER LAW
Article 1 (Objectives of Local Organs of State Power Law)
The Local Organs of State Power Law of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea shall strengthen local organs of State power and raise their ability and role, to serve to assure true democratic rights, freedom, and material and cultural well-being to the people.
Article 2 (Local organs of State power and their organization)
Local organs of State power are the local People’s Assemblies and People’s Committees. Local People’s Assemblies and People’s Committees shall organize provinces (or municipalities directly under central authority), cities (or districts), and counties as units.
Article 3 (Principle of composition of local organs of State power)
Local organs of State power shall be composed of representatives of working people, including labourers, peasants, and working intellectuals.
Article 4 (Principle of protection of people’s rights and interests)
Local organs of State power shall support and protect the rights and interests of working people, including labourers, peasants, and working intellectuals.
Article 5 (Operating principles of local organs of State power)
Local organs of State power shall embody the principle of democratic centralism in all activities.
Article 6 (Subjects of regulation of Local Organs of State Power Law)
The Local Organs of State Power Law of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea shall regulate the composition, operating principles, duties, and authority of local organs of State power.
CHAPTER II. LOCAL PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLIES
Article 7 (Status of local People’s Assemblies)
Local People’s Assemblies are the people’s representative organ within the relevant area and are organs of State power.
Article 8 (Composition of local People’s Assemblies, qualifications of deputies)
Local People’s Assemblies shall be composed of deputies who have been elected by secret ballot upon the principle of general, equal, and direct election. Deputies of local People’s Assemblies shall be citizens of the Republic who have the right to vote and reside in the area concerned, and may be working people who work devotedly for the people, including labourers, peasants, and working intellectuals.
Article 9 (Term of election of local People’s Assemblies)
The term of election for a local People’s Assembly shall be 4 years.
New elections for the local People’s Assembly shall be conducted according to the decision of the relevant regional People’s Committee before the term of election of the relevant local People’s Assembly ends. In cases where an election cannot be held due to unavoidable circumstances, the term of election shall be prolonged until an election is held.
Article 10 (Duties and authority of local People’s Assemblies)
The duties and authority of local People’s Assemblies are as follows.
1. They shall deliberate on and approve reports on the region’s plans for the development of the national economy, and the reports on their implementation.
2. They shall deliberate on and approve reports on the local budget and the state of their implementation.
3. They shall adopt measures to implement the laws of the State in the relevant areas.
4. They shall elect or summon Chairs, Vice-Chairs, Office Managers, and members of People’s Committees at the corresponding levels.
5. They shall elect or summon Judges, and People’s Assessors of the relevant courts.
6. They shall abolish erroneous decisions and directions of People’s Committees at the corresponding level, and of People's Assemblies or People’s Committees at lower levels.
Article 11 (Regular and extraordinary sessions)
The local People’s Assembly shall have regular sessions and extraordinary sessions.
Regular sessions shall be convened by the People’s Committee at the corresponding level once or twice per year. Extraordinary sessions shall be convened when the People’s Committee at the corresponding level accepts that they are required, or when more than one third of the total number of deputies request it.
Article 12 (Notification of meeting date)
The date of the local People’s Assembly shall be announced to the deputies 5 days before the meeting is convened by the People’s Committee at the corresponding level. In these cases, it shall be reported to the People’s Committee at the higher level.
Article 13 (Conditions of establishment of meetings)
A local People’s Assembly shall be established if more than two thirds of the total number of deputies attend.
Article 14 (Speaker of the local People’s Assembly)
The local People’s Assembly shall elect a Speaker. The Speaker shall chair the meeting.
Article 15 (Submission of items)
Items to be considered in local People’s Assemblies shall be submitted to the People’s Committee at the corresponding level. Deputies may also submit items.
Article 16 (Reporters of items)
Reports of items submitted to local People’s Assemblies shall be done by members of the People’s Committee at the corresponding level. Deputies who are not members of the People’s Committee at the corresponding level may also make reports.
Article 17 (Method of adopting Decisions of the local People’s Assembly)
Local People’s Assemblies shall hand down Decisions. Decisions of the local People’s Assembly shall be adopted only after over half of the deputies who have attended the meeting agree by a show of hands. Decisions of local People’s Assemblies are compulsory for institutions, enterprises, organizations and citizens within the relevant area.
Article 18 (Submission of copies of written decision)
Regional People’s Committees must send copies of written decisions of the relevant People's Assembly to the People’s Committee at a higher level.
Article 19 (Duties and authority of deputies)
The duties and authority of local People’s Assemblies are as follows.
1. They must participate in People's Assemblies to actively raise emergent opinions so that decisions are adopted that reflect the wishes and requirements of the people and public.
2. They shall explain and publicise laws and regulations of the State and the decisions of the local People’s Assembly to citizens within the relevant area, and must help their implementation.
3. They may investigate whether institutions, enterprises, organizations and citizens within the relevant area are correctly implementing the laws and regulations of the State and the decisions of the People's Assembly.
4. They shall have a close connection with constituents and shall do work with them, and must become the true and faithful servants of the people who work devotedly for the public.
5. They may raise opinions to improve the work of institutions, enterprises and organizations within the area, and of the People’s Committee at the corresponding level.
6. They may request materials required for the performance of deputies’ duties from institutions, enterprises and organizations within the given area.
Article 20 (Responsibility of deputies)
Deputies of local People’s Assemblies shall take responsibility for their work before their constituents and their People’s Assembly. In cases where a deputy has lost the confidence of the constituents or can no longer perform the duties of a deputy, he or she shall be summoned.
Article 21 (Summoning deputies)
The summons of a deputy of a local People’s Assembly shall be decided by the relevant People's Assembly. If the People’s Assembly is not in session, it shall be decided at the People’s Committee at the corresponding level, and must receive the approval of the next People's Assembly.
CHAPTER III. REGIONAL PEOPLE’S COMMITTEES
Article 22 (Status of regional People’s Committees)
Regional People’s Committees are the local organ of State power when the relevant People's Assembly is not in session, and is the administrative and executive organ of State power in the given area. Regional People’s Committees are the executors of State policies within the relevant area and are the heads of the household who take responsibility for the people’s standard of living.
Article 23 (Composition and number of members of regional People’s Committees)
Regional People’s Committees shall be composed of the Chair, Vice-Chairs, Office Managers, and members. The composition of the members of the province (or municipality directly under central authority) People’s Committees shall be within the scope of 11 to 15 people, ahd the composition of the members of the city (or district), county People’s Committees shall be within the scope of 9 to 13 people, and shall be decided by the relevant People's Assembly. The term of election for a regional People’s Committee shall be the same as the term of election of the relevant People's Assembly.
Article 24 (Duties and authority of regional People’s Committees)
The duties and authority of regional People’s Committees are as follows.
1. They shall convene the People's Assembly.
2. They shall do the work of electing deputies for the People's Assembly.
3. They shall work with the deputies of the People's Assembly.
4. They shall implement the decisions and directions of the relevant local People’s Assembly, higher level People’s Committee, the laws and decisions of the Supreme People’s Assembly, the orders of the First Chairman of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea National Defence Commission, the decisions and directions of the National Defence Commission, directives, decisions, and directions of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, and decisions and directions of the Cabinet, the Commission of the Cabinet, and Ministries.
5. They shall organize and implement all administration work in the area concerned.
6. They shall draft a local plan for the development of the national economy, and shall adopt measures to execute them.
7. They shall draw up a local budget and shall adopt measures to implement them.
8. They shall adopt measures for the maintenance of public order in the given area, the ownership of the State and social, cooperative organizations and protection of their interests, and the guarantee of Citizens’ rights.
9. They shall do inspection and control work to adopt order in State administration in the relevant area.
10. They shall guide the work of People’s Committees at lower levels.
11. They shall command and guide socialist law-abiding life within the relevant area.
12. They shall conduct work related to the conferment of commendations of the State, family of patriotic martyr cards, and family of socialist patriotic sacrifice cards
13. They shall handle complaints and petitions raised by the people.
14. They shall abolish erroneous decisions and directions of People’s Committees at lower levels, and shall suspend the implementation of erroneous decisions of People’s Assemblies at lower levels.
15. They shall fill vacancies for Judges and People’s Assessors of relevant courts, and shall receive the approval of the next People’s Assembly.
16. They must deliberate on and approve local plans for the development of the national economy, local budgets, or plans for adjustment raised in periods when the People’s Assembly is not in session due to unavoidable circumstances.
Article 25 (Composition of Plenary Meetings and Meetings of the Permanent Committee)
Regional People’s Committees shall have Plenary Meetings and Meetings of the Permanent Committee. Plenary Meetings of the regional People’s Committees shall be composed of the Chair, Vice-Chairs, Office Managers, and members, and Meetings of the Permanent Committee shall be composed of the Chair, Vice-Chairs, and Office Managers.
Article 26 (Convening Plenary Meetings and Meetings of the Permanent Committee)
Plenary Meetings of regional People’s Committees shall be convened more than once per quarter, and Meetings of the Permanent Committee shall be convened when required. Plenary Meetings shall be established only if more than two thirds of the members of the regional People’s Committee attend.
Article 27 (Items for Plenary Meetings and Meetings of the Permanent Committee)
Plenary Meetings of regional People’s Committees shall consider and decide on important issues that arise in realizing their duties and authority. Meetings of the Permanent Committee shall deliberate on and decide the matters entrusted to it by the Plenary Meeting, and other important issues.
Article 28 (Implementation of meetings)
The chair shall implement regional People’s Committees. In cases where there is no Chair, the Vice-Chair who legally represents him or her shall implement them.
Article 29 (Right to submit items)
Items to be considered by the regional People’s Committees shall be submitted by the People’s Committee at the corresponding level. Institutions, enterprises and organizations may also submit items.
Article 30 (Reporters of items)
Reports for items submitted to regional People’s Committees shall be done by the members of the People’s Committee at the corresponding level. The person responsible for submitting the item of the institution, enterprise or organizations may also make a report.
Article 31 (Decisions and directions of regional People’s Committees)
Regional People’s Committees shall issue decisions and directions. Decisions issued by regional People’s Committees shall only be adopted if more than half of the members of the People’s Committee who have attended that meeting have agreed by a show of hands.
Article 32 (Submission, instruction of copies of written decisions and direction documents)
Regional People’s Committees shall send copies of written decisions and direction documents to People’s Committees at a higher level, and must send down written decisions and direction documents to institutions, enterprises and organizations within 1 week of the day they are adopted. Institutions, enterprises, organizations and citizens shall compulsorily implement decisions and directions of People’s Committees at the corresponding level.
Article 33 (Prolongation of the performance of duty of regional People’s Committees)
Regional People’s Committees shall continue to perform their duty until the new People’s Committee has been elected, even after the term of election of the relevant People's Assembly.
Article 34 (Non-standing committee of regional People’s Committees)
Regional People’s Committees may have the committees required to help their work.
Article 35 (Responsibility and subordinate relationships)
Regional People’s Committees shall take responsibility for their work before the relevant People's Assembly. Regional People’s Committees shall submit to People’s Committees at higher levels, to the Cabinet, and to the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly.
Last updated 10 October 2020