Pyongyang: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has formally recognized South Korea as the "most hostile state" and issued warnings of merciless consequences if provoked by Seoul, while reaffirming the North's status as a nuclear state, according to Pyongyang's state media reported Tuesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim announced that the North's constitution was revised to align with national development needs, delivering a speech on the second and final day of the first session of the newly elected 15th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA). North Korea "officially recognized" South Korea "as the most hostile nation and will thoroughly ignore and disregard it through the clearest remarks and actions," Kim was quoted as saying by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Kim also issued a warning of "merciless" consequences against South Korea if any provocative acts are carried out by Seoul. The KCNA noted that North Korea discussed a constitutional revision, but it remains unclear if this revision officially recognized South Korea as a "hostile state."
North Korea's constitution traditionally calls for the peaceful reunification of the two Koreas, and there had been expectations that this provision would be amended following Kim's order for a legal revision in 2024 to define Seoul as "the No. 1 hostile country." Since then, North Korea has adopted a stance of hostility toward Seoul, repeatedly dismissing the possibility of inter-Korean engagement.
In his address, Kim accused the United States of engaging in terrorism and invasions globally, referencing its ongoing conflict with Iran, despite not directly mentioning U.S. President Donald Trump. "Dignity, interest, and the final victory of a country can only be guaranteed by the most powerful might," the KCNA quoted Kim. He emphasized that whether the enemies choose confrontation or peaceful coexistence is their choice, and North Korea is prepared to respond accordingly.
Kim pledged to further advance North Korea's "defensive nuclear deterrence" and maintain a "prompt and precise" response posture for its nuclear forces to tackle "strategic threats" to both national and regional security. North Korea will continue to solidify its status as a nuclear weapons state, aggressively staging campaigns to counter any provocations by hostile forces, he stated.
In 2022, during a parliamentary meeting, North Korea enacted a new nuclear law authorizing the preemptive use of nuclear arms, declaring its nuclear state status as "irreversible." Experts believe that North Korea might have codified its new definition of Seoul in the constitutional revision, and the omission of details could be intended to maintain "strategic ambiguity" in case of shifts in security conditions.
Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, noted Kim's expression of "official recognition" of Seoul as the most hostile country, suggesting a revision of fundamental norms. Kim In-tae, a researcher at the Institute for National Security Strategy, also indicated that Kim's expression and other details appear to reflect a constitutional revision defining inter-Korean relations.
During Monday's parliamentary meeting, the SPA increased this year's state budget by 5.8 percent from the previous year, marking the largest increase in recent years. Kim vowed to ensure the "financially guarantee the normal operation of the country and the implementation of policies for the people by increasing state revenues."
An official at Seoul's unification ministry observed Kim's remarks about being prepared for both confrontation and peaceful coexistence, assessing that while he continued to criticize Washington, the criticism seemed limited in intensity. The official reaffirmed the government's policy of seeking to improve ties with North Korea, pledging continued efforts toward that goal.
Cheong Wa Dae echoed a similar sentiment, reiterating its commitment to peaceful coexistence with Pyongyang from a long-term perspective. A senior presidential official emphasized that hostile rhetoric does not aid in fostering peaceful coexistence and stressed the importance of dialogue and cooperation for the safety and prosperity of both Koreas on the Korean Peninsula.