SEOUL, Oct 9 (Askume) – North Korea will hold its Supreme People’s Assembly this week, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on Wednesday, without mentioning whether the way the two Koreas meet has officially changed.
Tensions have escalated on the Korean Peninsula this year due to a series of missile tests and Pyongyang’s efforts to improve ties with South Korea.
The rubber-stamp parliament is widely expected to remove references to the “reunification” of the two Koreas from the constitution, in line with comments made by leader Kim Jong Un in a speech in January.
KCNA made no mention of designating South Korea as the “main enemy” or any similar term or of any legal changes to clarify its borders amid ongoing tensions between the two neighbours.
In addition, the Korean Central News Agency reported that the North Korean military has said it wouldThe roads and railways connecting to South Korea were completely cut off.
Kim Jong Un said in a speech in January that he had concluded that reunification with South Korea was no longer possible, and accused Seoul of trying to destroy and join the regime.
There is also speculation that North Korea may announce changes to its constitution to inter-Korean boundaries, including maritime boundaries.
At the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, an armistice was signed to prevent naval clashes along the western and eastern coasts of the peninsula and American commanders established maritime boundaries. Maritime boundaries were not directly mentioned in the armistice agreement.
The waters near the disputed northern border have been the site of several deadly clashes between North and South Korea, including a 2010 battle between warships and North Korean torpedoes that sank a South Korean warship, killing 46 sailors.
At a recent meeting of the Supreme People’s Assembly, the constitution was amended, the working and voting ages were changed, new industrial and economic laws were passed and Noh Kwang Chol was appointed defence minister, KCNA said.
Leader Kim’s name was not on the list of attendees.
