North Korea declares South Korea 'hostile' state in amended constitution

North Korea confirmed Thursday it has amended its constitution to officially designate South Korea as a "hostile" state, citing security threats and escalating tensions between the two countries, according to state-run media.

"This is 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, due to the serious security circumstances running to the unpredictable brink of war owing to the grave political and military provocations of the hostile forces," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The announcement marks the first time North Korea has explicitly named South Korea as a "hostile state" since the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), North Korea's legislative body, met last week and amended the constitution. Although KCNA reported the constitutional changes following the SPA meeting, it withheld specific details until Thursday.

In January, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un initiated a proposal to redefine South Korea's status, stating the two nations could not pursue the road to national reunification together. During an address to the SPA, Kim called for an amendment, describing South Korea as the "primary foe and invariable principal enemy."

The decision to amend the constitution and declare South Korea as a hostile state follows a series of escalations. Last year, North Korea abandoned a 2018 inter-Korean agreement that had established buffer zones along land and sea borders and no-fly zones over the demilitarized zone. The suspension of this agreement reinstated full-scale military activities near the inter-Korean border.

In response to the heightened tensions, North Korea reported Wednesday that over 1.4 million young people and students had volunteered to join or rejoin its military. The announcement followed allegations by Pyongyang that South Korean drones entered North Korean airspace near the capital, a claim the South has not confirmed.

Adding to the strain, North Korea also announced Thursday it had cut off land connections with South Korea, closing road and rail links in both eastern and western parts of the border.