North Korea no longer regards South Korea as a "temporary occupied zone"; constitutional amendment ends peace unification concept
The North Korean constitution has been revised to remove references related to peaceful reunification with South Korea. Previously, the constitutional provisions stated that North Korea was committed to "achieving the peaceful reunification of the motherland." This revision followed a keynote speech by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in March, during which he referred to South Korea as the "most hostile country." The new constitution defines North Korea's territory as bordering China and Russia to the north, and South Korea to the south. South Korean experts point out that the absence of clearly defined maritime boundaries in the constitution may be a deliberate move by Pyongyang to avoid immediate escalation of conflicts with Seoul.
The updated North Korean constitution emphasizes "absolute intolerance toward any infringement on its territory." The constitutional amendments passed at the March session of the Supreme People's Assembly formally established Kim Jong-un's political stance recognizing North and South Korea as two independent states. The newly revised constitution explicitly states that command authority over nuclear forces is held by the Chair of the State Affairs Commission. Kim Jong-un was re-elected as Chair of the State Affairs Commission in March this year. North Korea is now defined as a "responsible nuclear-armed state," with its nuclear status formally enshrined in the constitution.
At the recent Workers' Party Congress held in February, North Korean leadership reiterated the complete exclusion of any form of relationship with South Korea. He declared that "all connections with South Korea have been completely severed" and referred to the neighboring country as the "most hostile entity."
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864441017898331/
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