n)

National holiday: Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK), 9 September (1948)

Constitution: adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972,
revised again in April 1992 and September 1998

Legal system: based on German civil law system with Japanese influences
and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: KIM Chong-il (since NA July 1994);
note - in September 1998, KIM Chong-il was reelected Chairman of the
National Defense Commission, a position accorded the nation's "highest
administrative authority"; KIM Yong-nam was named President of the Supreme
People's Assembly Presidium and given the responsibility of representing
the state and receiving diplomatic credentials elections: premier elected
by the Supreme People's Assembly; election last held NA September 1998
(next to be held NA) election results: HONG Song-nam elected premier;
percent of Supreme People's Assembly vote - NA% cabinet: Cabinet (Naegak),
members, except for the Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed
by the Supreme People's Assembly head of government: Premier HONG Song-nam
(since 5 September 1998); Vice Premiers CHO Ch'ang-tok (since NA),
KWAK Pom-ki (since NA), Sin IL-nam (since NA April 2002)

Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin
Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms) elections: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
the KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without
opposition; minor parties hold a few seats

Judicial branch: Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme
People's Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: Chondoist Chongu Party [YU Mi-yong,
chairwoman]; Korean Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong-tae, chairman];
major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Chong-il, General
Secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ARF (dialogue partner), ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - North Korea has a
Permanent Mission to the UN in New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (Swedish Embassy in
P'yongyang represents the US as con