North Korea's Bold Constitution Amendment to Fortify Nuclear Power, Labeling US and Allies as Major Threats

North Korea has revised its constitution to enhance and extend its nuclear capabilities. Leader Kim Jong Un identified the increased collaboration between the United States, South Korea, and Japan as the primary and most significant danger confronting the isolated nation.

The country's legislative body has incorporated this law into North Korea's constitution following a two-day assembly, thereby solidifying its commitment to fortify its nuclear force permanently, as reported by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Thursday.

The action reinforces North Korea's belief that it is a permanent nuclear power and that the concept of denuclearization or relinquishing its weapons, a crucial requirement of the US and its Western partners, is not open for debate. It was approved by North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), which leader Kim Jong Un addressed, describing it as a "momentous occasion that strengthens our political influence" and enhances national defense capabilities to safeguard our interests.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un

KCNA/Reuters

North Korea declares itself a nuclear weapons state, in 'irreversible' move

Kim cited the trilateral military cooperation among the United States, South Korea, and Japan as the main reason justifying Pyongyang's rapid weapons development program. He referred to it as "the most dire actual threat, rather than mere rhetoric or a fictional enemy," KCNA reported. Furthermore, he proclaimed the new law as "the utmost fair and rational milestone that not only addresses the immediate needs of our time but also aligns with the legal and long-term necessities of constructing a socialist nation."

The KCNA report was released shortly after North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations, Kim Song, spoke at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. The ambassador argued that Pyongyang had to enhance its "self-defense capabilities" due to the "imminent danger" of a nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula and accused the US of expanding its influence in the area.

Earlier this month, Kim Jong Un held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a week-long visit, which raised concerns in the West about the potential for military collaboration between Moscow and Pyongyang.

Before the trip, US officials cautioned that North Korea might supply Russia with weapons to support its struggling invasion of Ukraine, in exchange for assistance with its nuclear weapons and missile program.

In the meeting, Putin agreed to Kim's invitation to travel to North Korea, as confirmed by the Kremlin. The statement further mentioned that Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, is scheduled to visit North Korea in October.

Push for denuclearization

The latest constitutional amendment follows a similar move last year at an SPA meeting, where North Korea passed a bill declaring the country a nuclear weapons state.

Kim made a firm commitment that denuclearization would not occur and indicated that negotiations on the matter were off the table. The implementation of the new law further signifies the worsening relationship between North Korea and its adversaries, which has been deteriorating over the past few years.

In 2017, North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test, which occurred during a period of increasing tensions between Pyongyang and Washington. This test followed a warning from then-President Donald Trump, who famously stated that any additional threats from North Korea would be met with an unprecedented level of force and intensity.

On Friday, August 18, 2023, South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol, President Joe Biden, and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida gathered at Camp David, the presidential retreat near Thurmont, Md. The meeting was captured in an impactful photograph by Andrew Harnik, an AP photographer.

Andrew Harnik/AP

Biden's call for 'new era of cooperation' with Japan and South Korea likely to ramp up tensions with Beijing

Testing stopped in 2018 when the leaders had discussions and relations improved, giving rise to optimism for a possible agreement on denuclearization. However, the talks collapsed after several meetings between Trump and Kim, including a notable moment where Trump became the first sitting US leader to set foot in North Korea, and no agreement was reached.

According to experts, the Covid-19 pandemic likely also postponed the restart of North Korea's weapons development program. However, in 2022, it resurged with force as the country launched an unprecedented number of missiles, and satellite images revealed renewed activity at its underground nuclear test sites.

The tests have led to increased collaboration between the United States, South Korea, and Japan. Earlier this summer, the leaders of these three nations gathered at the Camp David retreat in Maryland, where they unveiled new military exercises and declared an annual trilateral summit. US President Joe Biden hailed this development as the start of a new "era of cooperation." However, Pyongyang strongly criticized the summit, as evidenced by the release of images by North Korean state media showing Kim Jong-un inspecting a missile test shortly after.