North Korea Removes 'National Reunification' from Constitution, Redefines Ties with South

North Korea has amended its constitution, removing all references to 'national reunification' and redefining its relationship with South Korea as between 'two hostile states.' This signals a shift towards recognizing South Korea as a separate country rather than a target for reunification.

Thu May 07 2026

Constitutional Overhaul Redefines Inter-Korean Relations

North Korea has recently overhauled its constitution, deleting all references to 'national reunification' and any achievements made by former leaders towards that goal. This move is seen as reflecting current leader Kim Jong-un's intention to define ties between North and South Korea as those between 'two hostile states,' rather than a target for reunification. The constitution also newly defines North Korea's land territory as being bordered by China and Russia to the north, and South Korea to the south, removing the previous wording that referred to the 'northern half' of the Korean peninsula.

Strengthening Kim Jong-un's Authority and Nuclear Provisions

The updated constitution also significantly strengthens the authority of Kim Jong-un. It now lists his position as chairman of the State Affairs Commission ahead of the Supreme People's Assembly, North Korea's highest state organ of power, and formally defines the chairman as 'head of state.' A separate amendment also explicitly grants the chairman command over North Korea's nuclear forces, with the ability to delegate launch authority to a designated command body. This is interpreted as an effort by North Korea to present itself as a more conventional state while reinforcing Kim Jong-un's ultimate control over its nuclear arsenal.

*Source: YouTube: SCMP (2026-05-07)*

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