Pyongyang/Seoul - Communist North Korea went to the polls on Sunday in elections for the Supreme People's Assembly.

According to state-controlled media, more than 71 per cent of eligible voters had already cast their vote by lunchtime.

Elections in the communist north of the peninsula are a formality, with only candidates approved by the military regime allowed on the ballot paper, all of whom in the past have received 100 per cent approval, according to North Korean media.

The five-year term of the parliament actually expired more than six months ago, with elections being overdue. Many believe the reason they were delayed is because of the illness of leader Kim Jong Il.

Kim, 67, suffered a stroke in August. Holding the elections now is seen as a sign he has recovered.

However, the question of his possible successor is still uncertain, and analysts believe the appearance of Kim's youngest son, Kim Jong Un, on the ballot paper, would be a significant sign.

If Jong Un, 26 and Swiss-educated, were elected to the Assembly, that could be a sign he is being groomed as a possible successor.

A full list of successful deputies to the 12th Supreme People's Assembly is expected by Monday, according to South Korean sources. (dpa)