In a recent development, North Korea has amended its constitution to mandate a retaliatory nuclear strike in the event of an assassination of its leader, Kim Jong Un, as per a recent report.
The Telegraph disclosed that this constitutional change is occurring amid rising global tensions after the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and other key figures during a recent conflict.
According to previous reports from Fox News Digital, Khamenei was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Tehran, which was part of a joint military operation between the United States and Israel earlier this year.
The amendment to North Korea’s constitution was ratified during a session of the Supreme People’s Assembly, which convened on March 22 in Pyongyang, as reported by the outlet.
This week, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) briefed top government officials on the constitutional update, highlighting its potential implications.
The revised constitutional policy specifies the measures for launching a retaliatory nuclear strike if the nation’s leadership is incapacitated or eliminated.
“If the command-and-control system over the state’s nuclear forces is placed in danger by hostile forces’ attacks … a nuclear strike shall be launched automatically and immediately,” the updated provision states.
Reuters previously reported that North Korea revised its constitution to define its territory as bordering South Korea and remove references to reunification, reflecting Kim’s push to formally treat the two Koreas as separate states.
That marked the first time North Korea included a territorial clause in its constitution.
Last month, Kim pledged to further strengthen the country’s nuclear capabilities while maintaining a hard-line stance toward South Korea, which he has called the “most hostile” state.
Kim has also accused the United States of “state terrorism and aggression,” and signaled North Korea could take a more active role in opposition to Washington amid rising global tensions.
Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
