North Korea constitutionally declares South Korea as 'hostile' state

Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea) has said that its constitution now defines the Republic of Korea (ROK or South Korea) as a "hostile" state, the first time Pyongyang has confirmed legal changes called for by leader Kim Jong-un earlier this year.

The country blew up roads and railways linking it to the South this week as "an inevitable and legitimate measure taken in keeping with the requirement of the DPRK Constitution, which clearly defines the ROK as a hostile state," the official Korean Central News Agency said.

KCNA said on Thursday that the army had taken "a measure to physically cut off the DPRK's roads and railways which lead to the ROK".

The move was "part of the phased complete separation of its territory, where its sovereignty is exercised, from the ROK's territory".

North Korea said that sections of the key inter-Korean roads and railways had "been completely blocked through blasting."

"This is an inevitable and legitimate measure taken in keeping with the requirement of the DPRK Constitution, which clearly defines the ROK as a hostile state," it added.

The North held a key meeting of its parliament last week, and this is the first confirmation that the country's basic law was amended in line with Kim's demands.

'Special relationship' to 'principal enemy'

Previously, under a 1991 inter-Korean accord, relations between the North and South were defined as a "special relationship" as part of a process aimed at eventual reunification, not as state-to-state relations.

Kim called for the constitutional change in a speech in January, during which he threatened war if the South were to violate "even 0.001 mm of our territorial land, air and waters."

Relations between the two Koreas are at one of the lowest points in years, after Kim in January defined Seoul as his country's "principal enemy" and said they were no longer interested in reunification.