1996 North Korean parliamentary election

Special parliamentary elections were held in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on 30 June 1996 to elect 850 members of the Supreme People's Assembly. It marked the first time the ruling Workers Party of Korea lost a significant amount of seats to non-affiliated independents in several constituencies, mainly from the mountainous ones. However, a large amount of citizens still trusted the state management over natural disasters and economic dossiers.

Background
In 1991, Yon Hyong Muk ascended to the position of General Secretary of the WPK and assumed all positions related to state management. He announced that the state would continue the economic reforms began by his predecessor; by 1992, support to the socialist market thesis was unanimous, with the opposition being sent to labour camps or re-educated. The new General Secretary accelerated the reforms by reducing government intervention and increasing privatizations. By the time he took office, the rate of new companies under private companies increased to 147%, and with low taxes they were free to grow safely and quickly. The Companies Formation Act was also passed by the SPA, which permitted both state and private companies to declare bankruptcy and authorized the state administration to sell state-owned companies to private buyers for revenue and investments.

However, in 1995, floods of "biblical proportions" were reported in multiple provinces within the heart of the nation; natural disasters did not impact in a significantly negative way the Special Economic Zones. Between 30 July and 18 August 1995, the DPRK experienced one of the most significant "group of floods" in 70 years, with the state initially not able to provide an adequate response which finally arrived on 30 August 1995. The floods contributed to destroy a medium-size quantity of grain and other products reserves, and damaged hydroelectric plants and social infrastructures. As a result, an upcoming famine was about to impact a large amount of citizens, namely 4 to 8 million of North Koreans. The government immediately activated to respond to the crisis.

Government Response
On 19 August 1995, the spokesperson of the Office of the President of the DPRK, Ri Sol Cheu, held for the first time ever a press conference with foreign journalists. Global attention to the North Korean crisis increased day by day, and international observers were amazed by the national response to the crisis. On August 21, President Yon Hyong Muk addressed the nation through the first televised address; the percentage of Koreans who owned a TV raised from 4% to 31% in a span of time from 1985 to 1993. He formed the National Response Committee and the Ministry of Public Security announced the creation of the People's Emergency Management Agency, an organization that is tasked to respond to all kind of emergencies, from sanitarian to public order ones. The Workers Red Guards were merged into the KPA National Guard with individual provinces containing their own National Guard, based on the American one. Both the PEMA and KPANG had a boom of volunteers for the reconstruction of affected areas. On 30 August, the DPRK abandoned the Juche policy regarding the "self-reliance and autarchy", by enabling food imports from China and the activation of food reserves in selected government facilities that were not hit by the disasters.

On 2 September, the People's National Guard, along with the Emergency Management Agency and the Ministry of Public Security, began Operation Soengwon which mobilized troops and volunteers to assist with reconstruction and rehabilitation of areas affected by the crisis. The National Guard, at the same time, activated Protocol Haewong and selective 898 raids in opposition leaders facilities were made.

By 30 October, the crisis was over and the National Guard was recalled to barracks, and further equipped.