North Korea has formally eliminated all references to peaceful unification with South Korea from its constitution, state media reported Tuesday, codifying a 70-year policy reversal that experts warn may signal preparation for permanent division or renewed conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
The constitutional revision, approved during a session of the Supreme People's Assembly, removes clauses describing unification as a national objective and instead designates the Republic of Korea as a "hostile state" occupying territory historically claimed by Pyongyang.
Historic Policy Abandonment
Reuters reported that the changes implement a directive from leader Kim Jong Un, who announced in January that unification with the South was "no longer possible" given what he described as irreconcilable political systems and Seoul's alignment with the United States.
The move abandons a foundational principle of North Korean ideology dating to the state's founding in 1948. Every previous constitution, including those under Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, described unification as the supreme national goal. The Kim dynasty's legitimacy has rested partly on its claim to eventual reunification under Pyongyang's leadership.
Articles that previously called for "independent peaceful unification" and referenced the goal of creating a "unified Korea" have been deleted entirely. New language describes relations with South Korea in terms reserved for foreign adversaries, not divided compatriots.





