Workers at some North Korean production sites are learned to have started directly electing their leaders since last year. "Since mid-last year North Korean authorities have implemented the direct election through workers' balloting of workplace leaders such as directors, site managers, task chiefs and team heads at some plants and business establishments," said a government official. Plants and business establishments adopting the new system are those of the heavy industry sector, and the move is apparently aimed at normalizing the key industries before expanding the new formula to industries in general, according to the official.

Some cooperative farms too have chosen their management chairmen, operation chiefs and team heads through balloting participated in by all their qualified members.

It is speculated, however, that the new leader election formula calls for choosing one out of a few or several candidates recommended by the superior party committee. It should be difficult for North Korean authorities to completely liberalize the process of choosing workplace leaders, observed the official. Giving a free hand in leader election to workers at plants, business establishments and cooperative farms, the backbone of the North's economy, noted the official, could deprive the authorities of their control over the economy, which might lead to the weakening of their control over society in general.

(Lee Kyo Kwan, haedang@chosun.com )