The North Korean parliament has acted unanimously to enshrine its nuclear programme in the country’s constitution. According to the state-owned Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on 28 September 2023;[1] this constitutional amendment will establish North Korea’s nuclear power efforts “as the basic law of the state”.[2]
The country’s leader, Kim Jong Un, gave a speech in support of the passage of the amendments. Kim called for “accelerating the modernisation of nuclear weapons to ensure a decisive superiority of strategic deterrence” against threats such as the United States (US) and South Korea. Kim made the following statements: [3]
“This is a historic event that provides a powerful political leverage to significantly strengthen national defence capabilities. The North Korean nuclear power-building policy has been made permanent as the fundamental law of the state, which no one can violate with anything.”
Just a few days ago, North Korea’s Permanent Representative Kim Song warned the United Nations (UN) General Assembly that his country could be pushed to nuclear war as a result of “enemy threats from outside”.[4] Kim made the following statements in his speech on 26 September 2023: [5]
“The Korean Peninsula is in a critical situation with the danger of the imminent outbreak of nuclear war. Referring to the extremely dangerous circumstances, North Korea urgently needs to improve its defence capabilities to ensure its self-defence.”
The enshrinement of the law on the development of nuclear weapons in the country’s constitution is in defiance of a series of UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions aimed at restraining North Korea from developing nuclear weapons. Over the past year, North Korea has increased the number of ballistic and cruise missile tests. Since 2006, North Korea has conducted six nuclear tests, with the last nuclear test in 2017.
American officials, including US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, have warned of the possibility of a seventh test in the near future. Major General Scott Berrier, Director of the US Defence Intelligence Agency, said in March this year that North Korea had become “much more dangerous” as it expanded its inventory of missiles and nuclear weapons, adding that “they continue to pursue lethal activities with greater determination”. However, North Korean officials cite the accumulation of nuclear weapons as a necessity for self-defence against threats such as the United States, South Korea and Japan.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has likened the alliance between the United States, Japan and South Korea to an “Asian version of NATO”.[6]The three countries regularly conducted joint military exercises in the Pacific region, which North Korean state media described as “nuclear blackmail”.[7] Earlier this month, Kim made a rare visit outside his country, visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny spaceport and inspecting Russia’s military capabilities. Putin, in return, pledged to visit North Korea, raising concerns about an arms trade agreement between the two countries.
North Korea’s decision to incorporate its nuclear programme into the country’s constitution has caused great concern in the international community. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s support for this change underlines the country’s goals of accelerating the modernisation of its nuclear weapons and gaining the upper hand in strategic deterrence.
This move was presented as a defence mechanism against perceived threats, such as the US and South Korea, and justified as an urgent need to ensure national security. However, this action is a clear challenge to nuclear proliferation in the international arena. North Korea’s decisions in this direction could seriously threaten regional and global stability and pave the way for the uncontrolled proliferation of nuclear weapons. While North Korea has put forward the argument of developing its nuclear weapons as a need for self-defence, the international community warns that such nuclear proliferation could further jeopardise regional security and increase the risk of conflict.
As a result, solutions should be sought through dialogue and diplomacy and confidence-building measures should be taken among all parties to ensure regional peace and security. Such steps reveal the necessity of addressing North Korea’s nuclear programme through diplomacy and negotiations, not military means.
[1] “North Korea Enshrines Nuclear Power Status in Constitution”, Le Monde, https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/09/28/north-korea-enshrines-nuclear-power-status-in-constitution_6140490_4.html, (Erişim Tarihi: 30.09.2023).
[2] “North Korean Parliament Enshrines Nuclear Ambitions in Constitution”, Al Jazeera, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/27/north-korean-parliament-enshrines-nuclear-ambitions-in-constitution, (Erişim Tarihi: 30.09.2023).
[3] “North Korea Enshrines Nuclear Power Status in Constitution”, a.g.e., (Erişim Tarihi: 30.09.2023).
[4] Same place.
[5] “North Korean Parliament Enshrines Nuclear Ambitions in Constitution”, Al Jazeera, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/27/north-korean-parliament-enshrines-nuclear-ambitions-in-constitution, (Erişim Tarihi: 30.09.2023).
[6] Same page.
[7] Same page.
