North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has secured another overwhelming electoral victory, with his Workers' Party of Korea and allied groups winning 99.97 per cent of the vote in the 2026 parliamentary elections, according to state media KCNA. The vote, held on March 15, was conducted to elect members of the 15th Supreme People's Assembly.
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Near-total turnout and support
Official figures claimed that 99.99 per cent of registered voters participated in the election. A small fraction, 0.0037 per cent, were unable to vote due to being overseas or working at sea, while only 0.00003 per cent abstained.
Among those who cast their ballots, 99.93 per cent supported the listed candidates. However, the remaining 0.07 per cent voted against; a rare figure to be publicly acknowledged in North Korean elections.
Under the country's electoral system, 687 representatives were chosen, including workers, farmers, intellectuals, service personnel and officials. Each constituency featured only one candidate, a format often described by outside observers as a "show election".
State media's acknowledgement of opposing votes marked a notable moment. Reports indicate that such dissent had not been officially recorded in a Supreme People's Assembly election since 1957.
Among those elected was Kim Yo Jong, sister of Kim Jong Un, who secured victory in Kallimgil Constituency No. 5.
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Internet reacts to the 0.07%
While landslide victories are not unusual in North Korea, it was the small fraction of dissenting votes that drew attention online.
Social media users responded with a mix of humour and disbelief. One user wrote, "Moment of silence for the 0.07%." Another joked, "Give me the names of those 0.07%," alongside an image of Kim.
A third quipped, "In unrelated news, population expected to decrease by 0.07% this summer."
"That 0.07% just became the most wanted people in the country," another user wrote on X.
