North Korea revises constitution to drop references to unification of Korean Peninsula
NBC News • • world
Key Points:
- North Korea has revised its constitution to define its territory as bordering South Korea and removed references to reunification, reflecting leader Kim Jong Un’s policy of treating the two Koreas as separate states.
- The new Article 2 explicitly states North Korea’s territory includes land bordering China, Russia, and South Korea, but does not specify the exact border with South Korea or mention disputed maritime boundaries.
- The constitution now designates Kim Jong Un as the head of state and places command over North Korea’s nuclear forces firmly under his authority through the State Affairs Commission.
- A defense clause describes North Korea as a “responsible nuclear weapons state” committed to advancing its nuclear arsenal to protect national survival and contribute to regional and global stability.
- The revisions align with Kim’s January 2024 call to define South Korea as the North’s “primary foe,” amid increasing hostility and rejection of dialogue efforts from South Korea.
