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last yr.

Kim Jong Un Labels South Korea as 'Primary Foe', Abandons Reunification

Move seen as strategic escalation of tensions amid Russia's war with Ukraine and upcoming elections in South Korea and the U.S..

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A TV screen shows a report on North Korea’s spy satellite into orbit with its third launch attempt this year with an image of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023. North Korea claimed Wednesday to have successfully placed a spy satellite into orbit with its third launch attempt this year, demonstrating the nation’s determination to build a space-based surveillance system during protracted tensions with the United States. The letters read “North Korea, third launch of a spy satellite.” (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Overview

  • North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for a change in the country's constitution to label South Korea as the 'primary foe', effectively abandoning the goal of reunification.
  • Kim's move is seen as part of a foreign policy strategy of intentionally escalating tensions, despite the risk of actual conflict.
  • Kim's decision comes as Russia's war with Ukraine continues, and as South Korea and the United States are preoccupied with domestic elections.
  • Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia has deepened ties with North Korea, possibly receiving advanced technology in return for artillery for its war efforts.
  • South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol has vowed to respond 'multiple times stronger' in the event of any act of provocation from North Korea.