North Korea designates South ‘hostile state’ as Kim amends Constitution blowing up road, rail links

North Korea has formally designated South Korea a ‘hostile state,’ making amendments in its Constitution, state media KCNA confirmed on Thursday read more North Korea has amended its Constitution which now, for the first time, designates South Korea as a “hostile state”. The revision has been made in line with Kim Jong-un’s vow earlier this year to drop unification as a national goal.

The confirmation on revising of the Constitution comes within two days after the North Korean military blew up front-line road and rail links that once connected the country with South Korea. The North’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the demolition of parts of the northern sections of inter-Korean road and rail links on Tuesday was “an inevitable and legitimate measure taken in keeping with the requirement of the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) constitution which clearly defines the ROK (Republic of Korea) as a hostile state.”

AdvertisementDemolition of parts of the northern sections of unused road and rail links that once connected the country with the South. Source: KCNA | AP.

According to a report by Reuters, a satellite image released by imagery company BlackSky taken on Wednesday showed the road leading to the city of Kaesong in the North torn with a large gash on the pavement and surrounding area.

The KCNA report also cited a defence ministry spokesperson as saying that North Korea would take further steps to “permanently fortify the closed southern border” but did not mention any other changes to the constitution that Kim ordered.

Demolition of parts of the northern sections of unused road and rail links that once connected the country with the South. Source: KCNA | AP.

South Korea ‘strongly condemns’ Kim’s move South Korea “strongly condemns” the Constitution change and the characterisation of “hostile state” by the North.

South Korea’s Unification ministry, which handles ties with the North, said it would not waver in its efforts toward peaceful reunification. The ministry called the “hostile state” tag for South Korea as North’s “anti-unification, anti-national act.” It also said that the South Korean government will sternly respond to any provocations by North Korea.

North Korea-South Korea ties The relations between the two Koreas slipped to a new low after Kim, in January, called Seoul as his country’s “principal enemy” and expressed disinterest in reunification. He also called for a Constitutional amendment to erase unification as a goal in its ties with the South.

The reason which Kim gave for his decision was the alleged collusion of South Korea with the United States to seek the collapse of his communist regime.

The rubber-stamp parliament of North Korea met for two days last week to rewrite the Constitution.

Kim had earlier called for the Constitutional amendments to designate South Korea as North’s main enemy and removal of the goal of peaceful Korean unification as well as defining North’s sovereign, territorial sphere.

Tensions between North and South Koreas have been escalating since last year, with both sides declaring an agreement signed in 2018 to ease military tension no longer valid.

With inputs from agencies.