Why Did Kim Jong-un Delete Unification? Issues and Implications of North Korea's Position on 'Hostile Relations Between Two States'

In 2024, North Korea deleted 'unification strategy' from its national strategy and declared its pursuit of a policy toward South Korea founded on the recognition of two states coexisting on the Korean Peninsula, thus disregarding South Korea as a counterpart for reconciliation and unification. This fundamental policy shift toward South Korea is based on an aggressive perception of the current political situation, and appears to be a mid-to-long term strategic level decision. Since the failure of the US-North Korea summit meeting in Hanoi in 2019, North Korea appears to be cultivating a new identity for itself as a self-reliant 'nuclear power' in order to gain superiority over South Korea, pressure the United States, and gain recognition as a nuclear state from the international community. Pyongyang seeks superiority over Seoul by contrasting North Korea's 'great power identity' as an independent socialist country with South Korea's 'colonial identity' as a capitalist colony of the United States. This fundamental policy shift will inevitably affect South Korea's overall national strategy, including Seoul's diplomatic, security, and unification strategies.