North Korea says its Constitution defines South Korea as "hostile state"

North Korea said Thursday its road and railway links to South Korea “have been completely blocked” in line with its Constitution that “clearly defines” the South as a “hostile state,” suggesting the possibility that the supreme law has been revised, according to state-run media. The report by the official Korean Central News Agency came as the South Korean military confirmed Tuesday that the North had blown up sections of inter-Korean roads on its side of the border, destroying what was once a symbol of the two Koreas’ cooperation. The blasting of parts of the roads and railway links was a “legitimate” measure taken in line with North Korea’s Constitution due to the “serious security circumstances running to the unpredictable brink of war” amid “the grave political and military provocations of the hostile forces,” KCNA said.

Photo released by the Korean Central News Agency on Oct.

15. (KNS/Kyodo) Pyongyang will “continue to take measures to permanently fortify the closed southern border,” the news agency added. The North convened a session of the Supreme People’s Assembly, its top legislature, last week to revise the Constitution, but KCNA did not mention any such change immediately after the gathering.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called in January for a constitutional change to define South Korea as an “invariable principal enemy.” Amid heightened tensions between the countries, the North said on Oct.

9 that it would cut road and railway links with South Korea and fortify border areas.

Related coverage: S.

Korea, Japan, U.S. launch body to monitor N. Korea sanctions[1] North Korea blows up parts of inter-Korean roads on its side: Seoul[2]

Inter-Korea tensions soar as Pyongyang warns against drone incursions[3]

References

1. ^ Kyodo News Plus (english.kyodonews.net)
2. ^ Kyodo News Plus (english.kyodonews.net)
3. ^ Kyodo News Plus (english.kyodonews.net)