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North Korea has reportedly revised its constitution to mandate an automatic nuclear response if leader Kim Jong Un is assassinated or removed from power, a move that comes amid rising tensions across several global flashpoints.
The amendment was approved during a recent session of the Supreme People's Assembly in Pyongyang, according to reports citing South Korean intelligence officials briefed on the development earlier this week.
The revised clause outlines procedures for immediate retaliation should the country's nuclear command structure come under attack.
"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 provision states.
The constitutional change reportedly follows heightened security concerns after Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed earlier this year during a coordinated Israeli strike in Tehran tied to a joint U.S.-Israeli military operation.
Analysts believe the update reflects Kim's growing emphasis on deterrence and regime survival as geopolitical tensions continue to intensify.
Reuters previously reported that North Korea had already revised sections of its constitution to formally define South Korea as a separate state and remove longstanding references to reunification.
That marked the first time Pyongyang inserted a territorial clause into its constitution.
Last month, Kim reiterated plans to expand North Korea's nuclear capabilities while maintaining an aggressive stance toward Seoul, which he has repeatedly described as the country's "most hostile" enemy.
The North Korean leader has also accused the United States of engaging in "state terrorism and aggression," while signaling that Pyongyang could take a more active role in opposing Washington as conflicts escalate internationally.
Recent missile tests conducted under Kim's supervision have further fueled concerns among Western allies and neighboring nations already monitoring North Korea's growing military capabilities.
South Korea's National Intelligence Service reportedly briefed senior officials on the constitutional update as governments across Asia continue tracking Pyongyang's expanding arsenal.
