North Korea has removed all references to peaceful reunification from its constitution, instead formally designating the country’s territory as abutting the Republic of Korea, in the latest sign of leader Kim Jong Un’s shift towards a two-state reality on the peninsula.
Pyongyang has amended its basic law, striking out mentions of reunification and defining the nation’s territory as bordering the Republic of Korea, North Korean state media reported on Wednesday.
The changes, adopted during the March session of the Supreme People’s Assembly, formalise leader Kim Jong Un’s policy of recognising the two Koreas as separate states. Under the new Article 2, North Korean territory includes lands that, in the south, are adjacent to South Korea.
Kim has been designated as the head of state, replacing previous wording referring to the “supreme leader.” The constitution now explicitly states that command over nuclear forces rests with the chairman of the State Affairs Commission. North Korea is described as a “responsible nuclear-weapon state.”
South Korean analysts have noted that the absence of a specific maritime boundary could suggest an attempt by Pyongyang to avoid immediate escalation.
Earlier, during a keynote speech at the first session of the 15th Supreme People’s Assembly, North Korean leader Kim referred to South Korea as a hostile country, officially recognised as such by the North.
