DPRK removed the clause on reunification with South Korea from its constitution
North Korea has amended its constitution, removing all references to reunification with South Korea. Also, for the first time, the document defined the country's territorial boundaries, but without precisely specifying the maritime border with the South, writes the BBC.
DPRK leader Kim Jong Un. Photo: Contributor/Getty Images
The new version of the constitution now has 168 articles. It states that the DPRK borders China and Russia to the north and the Republic of Korea to the south. It also emphasizes that the country will under no circumstances allow the violation of its territorial integrity.
However, the document does not precisely explain where the maritime border with South Korea lies. The land border is recognized by both sides, but the maritime line has long remained disputed.
Another important change is the disappearance of the norm about the necessity of reunifying the two Koreas. Previously, the constitution stated that the country strives for peaceful reunification and national unity, but this has now been removed. Mentions of the achievements of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il — former leaders of the country, respectively the grandfather and father of the current leader Kim Jong Un — have also disappeared.
The status of the head of state has also changed in the document: Kim Jong Un is now officially referred to as the head of state, not the "supreme leader." For the first time, the constitution also more clearly places him above the Supreme People's Assembly. In addition, he is named commander of the nuclear forces.
The DPRK also continues to call itself a "nuclear state." The document includes a mention of North Korean military personnel who participated in foreign military operations. Experts believe this refers to participation in Russia's war against Ukraine.
According to analysts, these changes indicate that Pyongyang is increasingly abandoning the idea of reunification with the South and wants to solidify its status as a separate state. At the same time, this could suggest a desire to appear as a "normal" state and establish more predictable relations with Seoul.
Comments
При объединении, первое, что произойдет, - демонтаж скотного двора.
Северокорейцы, их руководство, быстрее русскими себя объявят, чем объединяться в Одну Корею.