North Korea has officially declared South Korea a “hostile state” in its constitution, a first-time confirmation of legal changes proposed by Kim Jong Un earlier this year. Relations between the two Koreas have worsened since January when Kim labeled Seoul the North’s “principal enemy” and dismissed reunification efforts.
This week, North Korea destroyed roads and railways connecting the two countries, calling it “an inevitable and legitimate measure” based on its revised constitution, according to state media KCNA. The constitutional changes, reportedly made during a parliamentary meeting last week, marked a shift from the 1991 inter-Korean agreement that classified North-South relations as a “special relationship” aiming at reunification.
On Tuesday, South Korea’s military released footage of North Korean soldiers detonating symbolic inter-Korean infrastructure. Pyongyang claims the move is part of the “complete separation” of its territory from the South. However, South Korea’s defense ministry dismissed the claim as a “one-sided assertion.” Experts suggest the demolitions may serve domestic propaganda purposes, with Pyongyang possibly using South Korean military footage in its coverage.
