Opposing votes in North Korea’s elections have been reported for the first time.

The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party, said on Tuesday that a total of 27-thousand-858 workers, farmhands, intellectuals and officials were elected as new deputies for the assemblies of provinces, cities and counties in Sunday's local elections.

According to the report, 99-point-63 percent of eligible voters cast ballots, with the remaining zero-point-37 percent unable to participate because they were staying abroad or away at sea. 

In the election of deputies to provincial people's assemblies, 99-point-91 percent reportedly voted for party's candidates to zero-point-09 percent against, while the election for deputies to city and county assemblies, 99-point-87 percent voted for the candidates with zero-point-13 percent opposed.

In the local elections in July 2019, voter participation was claimed to reach 99-point-89 percent with 100 percent voting for the candidates backed by the party.

North Korea's state media has not carried any report of opposing votes in elections so far. The rare revelation of opposing votes in the latest elections is an apparent move to highlight that the election was held democratically.

[Photo : YONHAP News]