Seoul  - North Korean voters returned leader Kim Jong Il to the Stalinist state's rubber-stamp parliament with 100 per cent support, the country's state-run media said Monday.

In the unsurprising result, 100 per cent of the voters of constituency 333 supported Kim in Sunday's election, the Korean Central News Agency said.

All voters "renewed their unshakable determination to devotedly safeguard Kim Jong," KCNA said.

Further details about the composition of the 12th Supreme People's Council were not released.

The poll, which had been postponed for several months, after the parliament's five-year term expired last year, was closely watched outside of North Korea as analysts hoped to get an indication about the successor to the 67-year-old leader.

According to South Korean news reports, Kim's third son, Kim Jong Un, believed to be 26, was a candidate in the election, probably an indication that he was considered a potential successor for Kim Jong Il.

In South Korea, the election was widely regarded as a sign that Kim, who was believed to have suffered a stroke in summer, has recovered and is in charge of government.

Kim is expected to be confirmed as chairman of the powerful Defence Commission when the assembly convenes for its first session. At the previous election in 2003, all
687 candidates were elected with 100 per cent of the vote.

Elections in North Korea are a mere formality, with voters only being able to vote "yes" or "no" for one candidate per constituency, who has been approved either by the ruling communist Worker's Party of Korea or by Kim.

While nominally the highest power in the state, the council only meets two times per year for a few days to rubber-stamp decisions by the ruling party. (dpa)