North Korea's Constitution: A Written Enactment Or Not?

North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, has a written constitution. The DPRK Socialist Constitution is a Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il Constitution, embodying the Juche ideology and achievements of the former leaders. The constitution outlines the political and economic structure of North Korea and details the rights and duties of its citizens. Notably, North Korea's revised constitution in 2024 defined South Korea as a hostile state for the first time, indicating escalating tensions between the two countries.

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North Korea's constitution is called the 'Kim Il Sung-Kim Jong Il Constitution'

North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, has a written constitution. The constitution is called the Kim Il Sung-Kim Jong Il Constitution. It combines strong socialist and nationalist tendencies and references the country's Juche ideology. The Juche idea, introduced into the constitution in 1972, is a world outlook centred on people and a revolutionary ideology for achieving the independence of the masses.

The preamble of the constitution describes North Korea as a "socialist state of Juche" that applies the ideas and achievements of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on state construction. Kim Il Sung is credited as the "founder of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and father of socialist Korea", who founded the Juche idea and turned North Korea into a socialist country. Kim Jong Il, his son, is credited as the "peerless patriot and defender of socialist Korea" who kept Kim Il Sung's policies and turned North Korea into a politico-ideological power, a nuclear state, and a military power through Songun politics.

The constitution was amended for the sixth time on 1 April 2013, with the preamble revised to include Kim Jong Il, recognising that his ideas and achievements were also the basis for the constitution. The amendment also designated the chairman of the National Defence Commission as the supreme leader of North Korea and expanded his powers to guide overall state affairs. It also designated the military to defend the "headquarters of the revolution".

The constitution outlines the political and economic structure of North Korea. It also lists the rights and duties of its citizens, based on the collectivist principle of "one for all and all for one". The constitution guarantees the rights and well-being of citizens and provides for an eight-hour work day for workers.

The constitution is unique for its strong socialist and nationalist tendencies

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has a written constitution, which is considered unique for its strong socialist and nationalist tendencies. The preamble of the constitution describes North Korea as a "socialist state of Juche", reflecting the country's Juche ideology. Juche, which can be translated as "self-reliance", is a political theory developed by Kim Il Sung, who is credited as the founder of the DPRK and the father of socialist Korea. The constitution also credits Kim Jong Il, who is said to have kept North Korea on this path and turned it into a politico-ideological power, a nuclear state, and a military power through Songun politics.

The DPRK's constitution is a socialist constitution that outlines the political and economic structure of the country. It consists of various chapters, with Chapter 1 outlining the political structure and Chapter 2 detailing the economic structure. The constitution states that North Korea is an independent socialist state, with the means of production owned by the state and social cooperatives. It also provides for the protection of private property and guarantees the rights and well-being of citizens.

The strong socialist tendencies of the constitution are further reflected in its emphasis on the working class and the achievement of socialism. The constitution states that the working people are the masters of the state and society, and the state shall defend their interests. It also emphasizes the three revolutions—the ideological, cultural, and technical—that the DPRK aims to perform to achieve the complete victory of socialism in the northern half of Korea.

The nationalist tendencies of the constitution are evident in its references to Korean reunification and the defence of the nation. The preamble praises Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il as "saviors of the nation" who have worked for reunification and developed North Korea's foreign relations. The constitution also reflects the country's nationalist ideology by defining South Korea as a "hostile state" in its recent revision.

The constitution outlines the economic structure of North Korea

North Korea has a written constitution, which consists of seven chapters and 172 articles. Chapter 2 of the Constitution outlines the country's economic structure. It comprises 19 articles, which include the following:

• North Korea relies on socialist relations of production and the foundation of an independent national economy.
• The means of production are owned by the state and social cooperatives, with provisions for state and social cooperative properties.
• Citizens are allowed to own private property, which the state is responsible for protecting and guaranteeing its inheritance.
• The state is responsible for continually increasing the living standards of its people by providing them with food, clothing, and housing.
• North Korea has an independent national economy, with science and technology playing a leading role.
• The constitution provides for an eight-hour workday for workers, which the state will fully utilize.

In addition to the economic structure, the North Korean Constitution also outlines the country's basic principles on politics, culture, and national defense, as well as the rights and duties of its citizens. It is influenced by the Juche ideology, which emphasizes economic self-sufficiency, military self-reliance, and an independent foreign policy. The Constitution also stipulates that foreign trade is conducted by state institutions, state enterprises, and social cooperatives, with the objectives of maintaining credibility, improving trade structure, and developing trade relations with foreign countries.

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North Korea's constitution defines South Korea as a 'hostile state'

North Korea's constitution, also known as the Socialist Constitution, combines strong socialist and nationalist tendencies and references the country's Juche ideology. It outlines the political and economic structure of the nation, as well as the rights and duties of its citizens.

In October 2024, North Korea confirmed that its recently revised constitution defines South Korea as "a hostile state" for the first time. This declaration came two days after North Korea demolished parts of the northern sections of unused road and rail links that once connected the two countries. The back-to-back developments indicate North Korea's intention to escalate animosities against South Korea, increasing the risk of possible clashes at their tense border areas.

The revised constitution is a result of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's call for constitutional change at a Parliamentary meeting. The changes include designating South Korea as the country's main enemy, removing the goal of peaceful Korean unification, and defining North Korea's sovereign territorial sphere. Kim Jong Un has also made nuclear weapon threats against South Korea, further escalating tensions.

Observers note that the constitutional change provides Kim Jong Un with legal room to use nuclear weapons against South Korea by establishing it as a foreign enemy state, rather than a partner for potential unification. This shift in North Korea's constitution represents a significant development in the relationship between the two countries, indicating a move away from the idea of shared statehood and peaceful reunification.

The DPRK Socialist Constitution is a Kim II Sung constitution

The DPRK Socialist Constitution is a Kim Il Sung constitution that was first approved in 1972 and has since been amended and supplemented several times. The constitution is considered unique for its strong socialist and nationalist tendencies and its reference to the country's Juche ideology.

The preamble of the constitution describes North Korea as the "socialist state of Juche" and credits Kim Il Sung as the founder of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the father of socialist Korea. It also credits Kim Jong Il as the "peerless patriot and defender of socialist Korea". Both leaders are praised as "saviors of the nation" and are enshrined as the eternal leaders of North Korea. The preamble states that the constitution will consist of their ideas and achievements, making it the Kim Il Sung-Kim Jong Il Constitution.

Chapter 1 of the Socialist Constitution outlines the political structure of North Korea, with Article 1 stating that the country is an independent socialist state. Article 3 makes Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism the country's guide for its activities, while Article 11 gives the Workers' Party of Korea leadership over all the country's activities. The constitution also outlines the economic structure of North Korea, with articles stating that the means of production are owned by the state and social cooperatives, and that citizens are allowed to own private property.

The DPRK Socialist Constitution is a reflection of Kim Il Sung's Juche state construction ideology and achievements. It upholds Kim Il Sung as the eternal President of the Republic and defends and carries forward his ideas and exploits. The constitution also reflects Kim Il Sung's contributions to the reinforcement and development of the socialist movement, nonaligned movement, and the pursuit of world peace and friendship between peoples.

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