On the ‘new constitution of the DPRK’

On 6 May 2026, the South Korean Ministry of Unification held a briefing where it presented key changes to the DPRK’s Constitution, adopted earlier that year, to journalists and experts.

The DPRK’s constitutional development traces its history back to September 1948, to the adoption of its first constitution. In 1972, the so‑called ‘Socialist Constitution’ was adopted, which was subsequently amended many times. According to available information, in March 2026 the Supreme People’s Assembly introduced twelve amendments to it and removed the word ‘socialist’ from its title.

Critical remarks and context

It is important to note that the author of this text is not completely certain of the authenticity of the presented ‘North Korean original.’ Moreover, the text per se has not been published in open sources, which forces us to rely on journalists’ retellings. This circumstance raises doubts about the one‑hundred‑percent authenticity of the document presented in Seoul, which may have been subjected to propagandistic distortions.

The Ministry of Unification and South Korean intelligence services have repeatedly disclosed the contents of documents that were subsequently known only from South Korean sources. One example is the law on combating foreign culture, under which listening to K‑pop could invoke severe punishment, including execution.

Nevertheless, if we assume that the information provided by Ministry representatives is accurate, the new package of amendments fits logically into the process initiated at the end of 2023, when the DPRK abandoned the concept of reunification. Around the same time, a certain renewal of the country’s domestic political rhetoric also began.

Recognition of the reality of borders

The main thing that drew attention in the ROK is that North Korea has defined its territory as the lands bordering China and Russia to the north and South Korea to the south, together with adjacent territorial waters and airspace. In other words, the state’s territory is limited to exactly the territory it has actually controlled since 1953. However, the specific land and maritime borders are not delineated.

All rhetoric concerning the ‘reunification of the fatherland’ has also been removed, even when that........

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