Kim Jong-un Declares Unification with South Korea Unattainable

In a significant shift of policy, North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, has called for constitutional changes designating South Korea as the "number one hostile state." 

The move signals the end of North Korea's commitment to the unification of the Korean peninsula. Speaking at the supreme people’s assembly, the nation's rubber-stamp parliament, Kim expressed skepticism about unification, accusing the South of attempting regime change and promoting unification through covert means.

What exactly did Kim say?

Kim, addressing the assembly, stated, "We don't want war, but we have no intention of avoiding it." This marks a concerning escalation in tensions between the two Koreas, which have technically been at war since the Korean War ended in 1953 with a truce but no peace treaty.

Pyongyang will close agencies dedicated to reunification 

As a part of this policy shift, North Korea announced the closure of three agencies overseeing unification and inter-Korean tourism. These agencies include the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification, the National Economic Cooperation Bureau, and the Mount Kumgang International Tourism Administration.

The decision adopted by the assembly, as reported by the state-run KCNA news agency, stated, "The two most hostile states, which are at war, are now in acute confrontation on the Korean peninsula." It emphatically mentioned, "The reunification of Korea can never be achieved with the Republic of Korea," using the official name for South Korea.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol swiftly condemned Kim's remarks, accusing Pyongyang of being "anti-national" in labeling the South as a hostile country. The developments highlight a rapid deterioration in relations between the two Koreas, raising concerns about regional stability.