N. Korea seeks to amend constitution to make Kim its head of state

Former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom Thae Yong-ho claimed that North Korea is moving to make Kim Jong Un the country’s constitutional head of state through a constitutional amendment.

“Kim Jong Un has not been included in the list of members elected to the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA), which is a first in the history of North Korea,” Tae wrote in his blog on Sunday. “I suspect Kim Jong Un will be recommended a new post at the 14th SPA meeting slated for early next month and that the North is currently preparing for a constitutional amendment to make it possible.” Earlier on March 12, the Korean Central Television omitted Kim in the list of 687 elected members of the 14th SPA, leaving many to wonder why. It is the first time that a North Korean leader has been left out from the list of SPA members since the establishment of the country’s regime.

Although Kim Jong Un is the supreme ruler of North Korea, Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the SPA, serves as the country’s nominal head of state under its constitution. “It is a process necessary for North Korea to solidify Kim Jong Un’s position in the constitution in preparation for future end-of-war declaration or signing of a peace treaty,” Thae claimed. “Removing the current post held by Kim Yong Nam is like reintroducing the Premier system from the 1970s when Kim Il Sung was in power.”


Na-Ri Shin journari@donga.com