North Korea’s Parliament to Meet Friday for Potential Constitutional Changes

North Korea's recently elected Supreme People's Assembly will hold its first meeting this Friday to discuss possible constitutional amendments and review a new five-year policy plan. South Korean officials are closely monitoring whether the changes could formally designate South Korea as a hostile enemy state.

North Korea’s state media announced Tuesday that the country’s newly elected parliament will gather for its inaugural session this Friday, March 22, to discuss potential constitutional changes and evaluate progress on a comprehensive five-year national strategy.

The Supreme People’s Assembly serves as the nation’s legislative body and oversees government policy across all sectors, though its decisions typically rubber-stamp measures already approved by the dominant Workers’ Party leadership.

Officials and experts in South Korea are closely monitoring whether North Korea’s constitutional amendments might formally classify South Korea as a distinct and enemy nation, which would undermine Seoul’s efforts to promote diplomatic engagement and peaceful reunification.

According to the Korean Central News Agency, the roster of newly elected parliamentary representatives includes Kim Jong Un’s powerful sister, who analysts view as a key spokesperson for the leader on international matters.

The legislative session will select the head of the State Affairs Commission along with other top government positions while considering constitutional modifications, the state news agency reported.

Lawmakers will also examine progress on implementing a new five-year strategic plan that the Workers’ Party approved last month, which featured Kim’s commitment to expanding the country’s nuclear arsenal and building more advanced long-range missile systems.

Notably absent from the list of 687 newly elected representatives from the March 15 election was Kim Jong Un himself.

Kim maintains control over the nation through his roles as Workers’ Party general secretary, State Affairs Commission president, and supreme commander of the military forces. Political observers anticipate he will secure reappointment to lead the Commission.