A think tank affiliated with South Korea’s chief intelligence agency says North Korea’s recent constitutional revision hints at the regime’s forward-looking approach toward nation-building rather than inheriting the two previous governments in Pyongyang.  

The Institute for National Security Strategy(INSS) under the National Intelligence Service(NIS) came forward on Friday with its analysis of the North’s constitutional amendment which was disclosed on Thursday.

The South Korean institute said the new constitution in the North is historicizing the achievements of the country’s former leaders, Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, in an attempt to institutionalize the “tradition” of policies pursued by its incumbent leader Kim Jong-un. 

The INSS added that with the constitutional revision, the North is also departing from military-first policies and has deleted related articles in the new constitution. It said the move reflects ongoing dialogue between North and South Korea and Pyongyang and Washington and emphasizes the North’s willingness to open a peaceful future. 

Regarding Kim Jong-un’s added constitutional job description as the country’s representative, the INSS predicted Kim will play a practical role as the country’s leader in summits with leaders of other countries while number two figure Choe Ryong-hae will assume a perfunctory and ceremonial leadership position.