North Korea on Tuesday made a rare mention of dissenting votes in recent elections, although analysts dismissed it as an attempt to portray an image of a normal society rather than signalling any meaningful increase of rights in the authoritarian state.

Reporting on the results of Sunday’s election for deputies to regional people’s assemblies, the North’s state media said 0.09 percent and 0.13 percent voted against the selected candidates for the provincial and city councils, respectively.