Voting in North Korea is compulsory. Whether it is the Supreme People’s Assembly, which is renewed every five years, or the local people’s assembly, held every four years, North Korean residents must dress officially to vote at the polling station. Of course, there is only one candidate for the top leader, and he must vote in favor.

The Times reported that those who had escaped from North Korea said that North Korean elections are more an investigation of public loyalty. Officials use elections to confirm the whereabouts of the people and check whether they have defected.