North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Monday (Jan 15) called for the country’s constitution to be changed to ensure that South Korea is defined as “the most hostile state,” reported the state media KCNA, on Tuesday (Jan 16). This comes after North Korea abolished agencies that oversaw cooperation and reunification with the South.
‘The most hostile state’
In a speech at the Supreme People’s Assembly – North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament – the country’s leader made a number of remarks including a warning that he did not intend to avoid war should it happen.
WATCH | North Korea’s Kim Jong calls for South to be seen as ‘primary foe’
The North Korean leader, according to KCNA, called for the framing of new legal measures to define South Korea as “the most hostile state”. Kim also sought constitutional changes allowing the North to “occupy” Seoul in war.
“In my opinion, we can specify in our constitution the issue of completely occupying, subjugating and reclaiming the ROK (Republic of Korea) and annex it as a part of the territory of our Republic in case a war breaks out on the Korean peninsula,” said the North Korean leader.
He also went on to threaten South Korea with war if “even 0.001 mm” of the North’s territory is violated. “If the Republic of Korea violates even 0.001 mm of our territorial land, air and waters, it will be considered a war provocation.”
“We don’t want war but we have no intention of avoiding it,” said Kim as quoted by KCNA.
‘Primary foe’
The strongly worded speech came after Pyongyang abolished agencies that oversaw cooperation and reunification indicating that it was no longer interested in seeking reconciliation with South Korea.
According to the state media, three organisations dealing with unification and inter-Korean tourism would also be shut down.
Kim said that he had concluded that unification with the South was no longer possible and accused South Korea of seeking the collapse of his regime and unification by absorption.
He also said Pyongyang would not recognise the two countries’ de facto maritime border, the Northern Limit Line (NLL), reported KCNA.
In what could be seen as a symbolic move, Kim has vowed to get rid of the massive monument to the possible reunification of the Korean Peninsula that his father constructed in Pyongyang after calling it an “eyesore”.
According to Kim, the constitution should be amended to educate North Koreans that South Korea is a “primary foe and invariable principal enemy”.
Cho Han-bum, a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification told AFP that the North Korean system has long been grounded on the idea of reunification, an unachieved wish of the country’s founding leader and Kim’s grandfather Kim II Sung.
“Now he is denying everything that his predecessors have done,” said Cho.
South Korea to not back down
In Seoul, on Tuesday (Jan 16) following threats by Kim, President Yoon Suk Yeol told his cabinet that should North Korea carry out a provocation, South Korea would hit back with a response “multiple times stronger”.
“If North Korea carries out a provocation, we will retaliate multiple times stronger,” said Yoon, in a meeting broadcast on television, pointing to their military’s “overwhelming response capabilities.”
He also went on to call Kim’s rejection of the NLL “a political provocative act to crack South Korea and make our people nervous.” Earlier this month, North Korea fired around 200 artillery rounds near the disputed maritime border.
(With inputs from agencies)
