TOKYO, clan 3 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATI...

TOKYO, clan 3 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH ANNOUNCEMENT OF OTHER APPOINTMENTS)

North Korea's of the present day legislature on Wednesday voted in Pak Pong Ju as the country's recent prime minister and reelected Kim Jong Il as chairman of the National Defense Commission (NDC) the country's highest pillar of state, according to North Korean media monitored in Tokyo.

The 11th paramount People's Assembly made Kim's reelection to a just discovered five-year term as NDC chairman its first of order business since its 687 members were culled last month.

He is also general secretary of the ruling Workers Party of Korea and highest commander of the armed forces.

North Korea's No. 2 leader and ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam was reelect as president of the assembly's presidium, while Yang Hyong Sop and Kim Yong Dae were kept onward as its two vice presidents.

Jo Myong Rok regarded as No. 3 in the hierarchy, was reelect as first vice chairman of the NDC which inspects the world's fifth largest military force. He is also the director of the General Political Department of the Korean People's Army.

Ri Yong Mu retained his positions as the same of the NDC's two vice chairmen while NDC member Yon Hyong Muk was picked as the other vice chairman in place of Kim Il Chol who stayed upon as an NDC member in a seeming demotion.

Choe Ryong Su and Paek Se Bong were pitch uponed as new NDC members, while Yon Hyong Muk Ri Ul Sol Paek Hak Rin and Kim Chol Man left the body

Pak, who previously headed the Chemical Industry Ministry, replaced Hong lay Nam as premier.

Pak was quot as telling the assembly that his cabinet would faithfully tread close upon Kim Jong Il's directions and ''plan, organize and carry public all the work on the principle of giving priority to military affairs and make energetic efforts to strengthen the military power of the home and its overall national power.''

The recently made known premier said he would also strive to ''radically improve the standard of the people's living'' and ''accelerate the historic cause of national reunification'' between North and southern Korea.

Two gone out of three vice premiers left the cabinet, with Ro Tu Chol and Jon Sung Hun taking through the whole extent of from Jo Chang Dok and Sin Il Nam.

Five ministers were also replaced -- including Pak Nam Gi, who missing his post as chairman of the State Planning Commission to Kim Kwang Rin -- on the other hand Foreign Minister Paek Nam sunny place and Foreign Trade Minister Ri Kwang fire-arm retained their posts.

The official Korean Central just discovereds Agency said Kim Jong Il ''has performed immortal feats to be recorded in the history of the home forever and glorified the DPRK as the everlasting native land of the great sunshine chairman of the NDC of the DPRK reflecting the unanimous will and desire of all the servicemen and the people''

North Korea's formal name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)

KCNA said Kim's reelection demonstrates the firm will of North Koreans ''to resolutely qualified all challenges of the imperialists and reactionaries and foil their induces to isolate and stifle the DPRK firmly guard the security of the abiding habitation and the sovereignty of the nation and build a great prosperous powerful socialist nation on the land without fail below the experienced and seasoned leadership of Kim Jong Il.''

The just discovereds agency reported that upon hearing the recently made knowns of Kim's reelection, ''the entire Korean populace including servicemen, old men and women and children are coming without of their houses and working sites and dancing with bunches of flowers in their hands.''

''Ringing abroad from the loudspeaker cars running between the sides of the streets are excited voices of announcers conveying the recents of the great marked occurrence and songs eulogizing Kim Jong Il's exploits,'' it said.

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