Kim Jong-un’s specific instructions in January
Concerns continue about military conflicts between North and South Korea
‘While North Korea has shown no response to the ‘8.15 Unification Doctrine’ announced by the Yoon Suk-yeol government, it is speculated that they may move on to solidify the ‘antagonistic two-country theory’ in the upcoming constitutional amendment as early as next month. In response to the 8.15 Unification Doctrine, it seems that they will strongly deny and prevent unification while redefining territorial boundaries. The new definition of maritime territories could lead to future conflicts.’
‘North Korea did not respond to the 8.15 Unification Doctrine on the 19th either. North Korean media outlets criticized the joint South Korea-US military drills and detailed North Korea’s economic strategies for the second half of the year, but remained silent on the doctrine. This led to interpretations in academia that “North Korea may be immersed in internal constitutional revision work.” North Korea’s constitutional revisions are usually carried out at the annual People’s Assembly meetings that take place twice a year in the first and second halves. The second meeting has not been held this year since the January session.’
‘As Kim Jong-un, the Chairman of the North Korean State Affairs Commission, gave specific instructions on constitutional amendments in January, there is a high possibility that constitutional amendments will be actively pursued during the second half of this year. At the 14th 10th meeting of the People’s Assembly in January, Chairman Kim stated that “it is appropriate to strengthen educational activities to firmly consider the Republic of Korea as our country’s staunchest enemy and unchanging archenemy in the appropriate clause of the constitution.” He also mentioned, “Any border including the illegal and lawless Northern Limit Line (NLL) cannot be allowed as long as the southern border of our country (North Korea) is clearly delineated.”‘
‘North Korea’s new maritime territory definition could lead to conflicts between North and South Korea. North Korea does not acknowledge that the NLL was drawn without consultation with the North, and instead unilaterally set ‘West Sea Military Demarcation Line’ and ‘West Sea Boundary Line’ south of the NLL. According to this, Baekryeong Island, Daecheong Island, Socheong Island, Yeonpyeong Island, and U-do Island all belong to the North. Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Unification Research Institute, predicted that “North Korea will attempt to escalate maritime territory disputes after the constitutional amendment.”‘
‘However, there are also analyses that North Korea will proceed cautiously with the constitutional amendment.’
‘Professor Park Wongon of Ewha Womans University’s North Korean Studies department stated, “North Korea has presented unification and socialist state-building as its two major historical tasks, so if unification is denied, there will be no national goals to replace them,” and “they will also have to consider the military burden arising from the maritime territory delimitation.”‘