North Korea has introduced a major change to its constitution and nuclear policy by adding a new provision stating that the country will immediately launch a nuclear strike if Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un is assassinated or unable to exercise leadership during a foreign attack. According to a report by British newspaper The Telegraph, the amendment was made in March following US and Israeli attacks on Tehran, during which Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior Iranian officials were reportedly killed. South Korea’s intelligence agency said the attacks prompted Pyongyang to fear that a similar “decapitation strike”, aimed at eliminating the country’s top leadership, could be carried out against North Korea in the future. The provision was adopted during the first session of the 15th Supreme People’s Assembly, which began on March 22 in Pyongyang. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service later briefed senior government officials on the development. Why was North Korea’s nuclear policy changed? Defense experts believe that the attacks on Iran shook North Korea’s leadership. Observing the speed and precision of the strikes, Pyongyang reportedly feared that foreign powers could carry out a similar operation targeting Kim Jong-un and North Korea’s military leadership. Andrei Lankov, Professor of History and International Relations at Kookmin University in Seoul, told the media that the operation against Iran served as a major warning for North Korea. Lankov said Iran had become a wake up call for Pyongyang. According to him, North Korea witnessed how effective the “decapitation strikes” carried out by the US and Israel were, rapidly eliminating a significant part of Iran’s leadership. He added that North Korea was now likely to be extremely concerned. He also said such a policy may have existed informally in the past, but its inclusion in the constitution has now given it far greater significance. Attacking North Korea is difficult According to experts, carrying out such an attack in North Korea would be far more difficult than in Iran. North Korea is one of the world’s most isolated countries, where foreign diplomats, aid workers and businesspeople remain under strict surveillance, making intelligence gathering extremely challenging. According to Iranian media reports, Israeli intelligence agencies used hacked traffic cameras and digital surveillance systems to monitor Iranian leaders. However, replicating such operations in Pyongyang would be far more difficult because North Korea has a limited CCTV network and the government maintains tight control over internet access. Kim Jong-un is also known for maintaining extremely strict personal security. He usually travels with a large group of heavily armed bodyguards and avoids air travel, preferring to use an armoured train for both domestic and international visits. North Korea fears satellite tracking technology Professor Lankov said that North Korea now fears satellite tracking technology more than traditional espionage. He said, Their (Kim Jong’s) biggest fear is the information obtained from satellite technology. Their concern is not wrong either, because eliminating the leadership at the beginning of any conflict can prove decisive. According to Lankov, if Kim Jong-un is attacked, North Korea’s military leadership will follow orders for a nuclear retaliation, because officials there consider any foreign attack as a threat to the country’s existence. He said, I don’t see the possibility of such an attack from South Korea’s side, so any retaliatory action will target US. What other military steps is North Korea taking? The exact number of missiles possessed by North Korea is not publicly known. However, experts estimate that the country has hundreds of ballistic missiles, including short range, medium range and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). ICBMs are long range missiles capable of reaching the United States. North Korea has tested missiles such as the Hwasong 15, Hwasong 17 and Hwasong 18, which are believed to have a range of around 10,000 to 15,000 kilometres. This means the missiles could potentially reach large parts of the United States. Some reports also suggest that North Korea may possess around 50 to 100 missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, although the exact figure remains unconfirmed. North Korea has missiles that can reach US At present, the exact figure of how many total missiles North Korea has is not public. But according to experts’ estimates, North Korea has hundreds of ballistic missiles, which include short range, medium range and long range (ICBM) missiles. ICBM, meaning long-range missiles, are those that have the capability to reach America. North Korea has tested missiles like Hwasong-15, Hwasong-17, and Hwasong-18. The range of these missiles is estimated to be approximately 10,000 to 15,000 kilometers. This means they can reach large parts of America. Some reports also believe that North Korea may have around 50-100 missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons, but this is not a confirmed figure.
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