North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has declared that unification with South Korea is no longer possible and has called for the constitution to be amended to designate the South as the 'principal enemy'. State media KCNA reported that he also ordered the closure of three organisations dedicated to reunification.
In a speech to the Supreme People's Assembly, Kim stated that if war breaks out, the constitution should reflect the goal of 'occupying', 'recapturing', and 'incorporating' the South into North Korean territory. He emphasised that while the North does not want war, it has no intention of avoiding it.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol responded by warning that any provocation from the North would be met with retaliation 'multiple times stronger', citing the South's 'overwhelming response capabilities'. The two Koreas have remained technically at war since the 1950-1953 Korean War ended without a peace treaty.
Dr John Nilsson-Wright of Cambridge University described Kim's remarks as 'unprecedented', noting that departing from the policy of unification is highly unusual for a North Korean leader. He linked Kim's anti-Western stance to the failed 2019 summit with then-US President Donald Trump in Vietnam.
Relations have deteriorated sharply in recent months. In November, North Korea suspended a military agreement aimed at reducing tensions, and has since conducted missile launches and live-fire exercises near the border. A report by US-based 38 North warned that the situation is 'more dangerous than it has ever been' since the Korean War, with analysts suggesting Kim may have made a strategic decision to go to war.
Meanwhile, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui is in Russia, expected to meet President Vladimir Putin, as the two isolated nations strengthen ties. Kim visited Russia in September, meeting Putin to discuss cooperation.
