2006 North Korean parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in the Democratic People's Repubic of Korea on 7 August 2006 to elect 850 members of the Supreme People's Assembly. The election proved to be the first test for Vice President Jang Song Thaek, who was appointed to the position by Yon Hyong Muk on 16 January 2005. It was also an important year for the military sector, as two months later the first successful nuclear test was registered, with mixed reactions from the international community.

Background
On 16 January 2005, Yon Hyong Muk appointed Jang Song Thaek as the Vice President of the DPRK and Deputy General Secretary of the Workers Party of Korea after serving as the Minister of State Security from 11 August 1994 until 7 December 2001. He was then reportedly sent away to become the party secretary in Hamhung, an apparent demotion. However, in 2003, Song Thaek returned in Pyongyang to assume a plurality of political positions and was repeatedly promoted to high offices. On 30 March 2003 he was appointed as a full member of the Politburo of the WPK, and on 7 January 2004 he was appointed as a member of the Central Military Commission and of the State Auditing Commission, which processed all candidacies for SPA elections. On 1 April 2004, he became the Vice Chairman of the CMC, and at this point Jang Song Thaek was regarded as the apparent successor.

On April 2, 2006, Yon Hyong Muk reportedly passed away after suffering from a long disease he experienced since 1998. 4 hours after the decease, a funeral committee was formed with Jang Song Thaek as the Chairman. A two-days mourning period was declared in the now colored and alive cities of North Korea. Once assuming office, Song Thaek was elected as General Secretary of the WPK and President of the DPRK. He announced the "Open Up, Close Down" policy, which intended to further open up the economy while closing down political opposition, indicating an increased suppression of dissent.