North Korea's New Constitution Deletes Socialist Terms, Experts: Aims for Normal State Status
North Korea has revised its constitution, removing the term 'Socialist Constitution' and expressions related to unification policy. Experts analyze this as an attempt by North Korea to become a 'normal state.' The authority of State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un has also been strengthened, and the right to use nuclear weapons has been explicitly stated.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 6, 2026 at 20:27
- 🔍 Collected: May 6, 2026 at 20:31 (4 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 6, 2026 at 22:32 (2h 0m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Yang Chi-fan, Seoul, 6th) North Korea's revised constitutional content was revealed today. It has established a new 'territorial clause' and deleted expressions related to unification policy, changing 'Socialist Constitution' to 'Constitution.' South Korean experts analyze that North Korea is attempting to continuously promote 'normal state status.'
According to a News1 report from South Korea, Professor Lee Jung-chul of Seoul National University's Department of Political Science and International Relations analyzed at an expert seminar held today that in the newly revised North Korean constitution, terms such as 'northern part,' 'national reunification,' and 'complete victory of socialism,' which appeared in the preamble and main text and reflected a view of North and South as one nation, as well as concepts related to unification policy, have all disappeared.
The new territorial clause explicitly states that North Korea's territory borders the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation to the north, and the territory of the Republic of Korea to the south, and includes the territorial waters and airspace established on this basis. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea absolutely does not tolerate any infringement on its territory. However, North Korea did not specifically clarify the scope of its territory, territorial waters, and airspace in the constitution.
Lee Jung-chul stated that the first impression given by North Korea's revised constitution is that North Korea is designing for 'normal state status.' Lee Jung-chul cited as an example that North Korea has officially changed the name of its constitution from 'Socialist Constitution' to 'Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.' He said: 'The direction of this constitutional amendment is to delete ideological expressions and change to a structure similar to the constitutions of other countries.'
In North Korea's new constitution, the term 'socialism' has also been largely deleted. Lee Jung-chul pointed out that with the deletion of the expression 'socialist state' from the preamble, North Korea seems to be trying to present itself as a normal state with a general constitutional form. Lee Jung-chul also mentioned that from the perspective of economic measures, it also reflects that North Korea has incorporated the reality of market principles spreading into the constitution, rather than continuing to emphasize state-supported socialism.
This constitutional amendment by North Korea also significantly enhanced the power of State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un, redefining him from the original 'supreme leader' to 'head of state.' The Supreme People's Assembly's original authority to 'recall (impeach) the chairman of the State Affairs Commission' was deleted. In addition, the chairman of the State Affairs Commission's right to use nuclear weapons was explicitly written into the constitution for the first time. The preamble of the new constitution also deleted all achievements of previous leaders. (Editor: Tien Jui-hua) 1150506
Stand with facts, your sponsorship is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.
(Central News Agency reporter Yang Chi-fan, Seoul, 6th) North Korea's revised constitutional content was revealed today. It has established a new 'territorial clause' and deleted expressions related to unification policy, changing 'Socialist Constitution' to 'Constitution.' South Korean experts analyze that North Korea is attempting to continuously promote 'normal state status.'
According to a News1 report from South Korea, Professor Lee Jung-chul of Seoul National University's Department of Political Science and International Relations analyzed at an expert seminar held today that in the newly revised North Korean constitution, terms such as 'northern part,' 'national reunification,' and 'complete victory of socialism,' which appeared in the preamble and main text and reflected a view of North and South as one nation, as well as concepts related to unification policy, have all disappeared.
The new territorial clause explicitly states that North Korea's territory borders the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation to the north, and the territory of the Republic of Korea to the south, and includes the territorial waters and airspace established on this basis. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea absolutely does not tolerate any infringement on its territory. However, North Korea did not specifically clarify the scope of its territory, territorial waters, and airspace in the constitution.
Lee Jung-chul stated that the first impression given by North Korea's revised constitution is that North Korea is designing for 'normal state status.' Lee Jung-chul cited as an example that North Korea has officially changed the name of its constitution from 'Socialist Constitution' to 'Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.' He said: 'The direction of this constitutional amendment is to delete ideological expressions and change to a structure similar to the constitutions of other countries.'
In North Korea's new constitution, the term 'socialism' has also been largely deleted. Lee Jung-chul pointed out that with the deletion of the expression 'socialist state' from the preamble, North Korea seems to be trying to present itself as a normal state with a general constitutional form. Lee Jung-chul also mentioned that from the perspective of economic measures, it also reflects that North Korea has incorporated the reality of market principles spreading into the constitution, rather than continuing to emphasize state-supported socialism.
This constitutional amendment by North Korea also significantly enhanced the power of State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un, redefining him from the original 'supreme leader' to 'head of state.' The Supreme People's Assembly's original authority to 'recall (impeach) the chairman of the State Affairs Commission' was deleted. In addition, the chairman of the State Affairs Commission's right to use nuclear weapons was explicitly written into the constitution for the first time. The preamble of the new constitution also deleted all achievements of previous leaders. (Editor: Tien Jui-hua) 1150506
Stand with facts, your sponsorship is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.