North Korea has amended its constitution to explicitly grant the authority to use nuclear weapons for the first time [1].
This legal shift signals a departure from decades of state ideology by formalizing the country's nuclear deterrent and redefining its national identity. The move consolidates the personal rule of Kim Jong Un while signaling a pivot in how the state views its relationship with the rest of the Korean peninsula [1].
The amendments, enacted by the Supreme People’s Assembly, formally define Kim Jong Un as the "head of state" [1]. By codifying this role, the state strengthens the legal basis for his absolute authority over government and military operations [1].
In a significant ideological reversal, the new constitution removes the phrase "reunification of the motherland" [1]. The revised text instead adds a clause limiting the state's territory specifically to the northern part of the Korean peninsula [1]. This change effectively abandons the long-standing official goal of unifying the north and south under one government, a pillar of North Korean diplomacy for generations [1].
Analysts suggest these changes are intended to project an image of stability and legitimacy to the global community. A Korean expert said the move is intended to leave the international community with the impression that the country is a "normal state" [1].
By integrating nuclear weapons into the constitutional framework, the DPRK transforms its nuclear program from a strategic tool into a permanent legal attribute of the state [1]. This legalizes the deterrent and ensures that the authority to deploy such weapons is tied directly to the head of state [1].
“North Korea has amended its constitution to explicitly grant the authority to use nuclear weapons for the first time”
The removal of reunification language combined with the constitutional codification of nuclear authority suggests that North Korea no longer views the South as a territory to be reclaimed, but as a separate, foreign entity. By defining itself as a 'normal state' with a legal nuclear mandate, the DPRK is attempting to transition from a revolutionary state seeking unification to a permanent nuclear power seeking international recognition of its status quo.
