South Korea is reviewing a revised North Korean constitution that removes all references to reunification with the South [1].

This shift signals a fundamental change in how Pyongyang views the divided peninsula. By abandoning the goal of reunification, North Korea may be redefining its long-term strategic relationship with Seoul, moving away from the concept of a single unified nation.

The revised constitution was adopted by North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly on April 30, 2026 [1]. According to the Blue House, the South Korean presidential office is conducting a comprehensive review of these changes to ensure the consistent pursuit of peace and coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.

"The Blue House is conducting a comprehensive review of the North Korean constitutional changes to consistently pursue peace and coexistence on the Korean Peninsula," Oh Soo-young said.

While the document drops reunification language, it introduces a new territorial clause claiming the entire Korean Peninsula [3]. Lee Jung-chul, a professor at Seoul National University, said this signals a more assertive stance. The revision also reinforces the status and nuclear authority of Kim Jong-un [5].

Despite these changes, some South Korean officials see a potential opening for reduced tension. A spokesperson for the National Intelligence Service said the revised constitution shows a clear reduction in hostile rhetoric toward the South [2].

Seoul has maintained that it will retain its policy of peaceful coexistence regardless of the constitutional shifts in Pyongyang [2]. The review by the Blue House aims to assess how these legal changes impact the security landscape and the feasibility of future diplomatic engagements.

“The revised constitution shows a clear reduction in hostile rhetoric toward the South.”

The removal of reunification language marks a departure from decades of North Korean state ideology. By claiming the entire peninsula as its territory while simultaneously dropping the goal of unification, Pyongyang is creating a legal framework that asserts sovereignty over the South without promising a peaceful merger. This duality forces Seoul to balance the optimism of reduced hostile rhetoric against the reality of an expanded territorial claim and solidified nuclear authority.