New Delhi: North Korea has reportedly introduced a major change to its constitution and nuclear doctrine, declaring that the country would launch an immediate nuclear strike if Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un is killed or becomes incapable of leading during a foreign attack.
According to a report by The Telegraph, the amendment was adopted following US and Israeli strikes on Iran in March, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of several senior Iranian officials and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Pyongyang feared 'decapitation strike'
South Korea's intelligence agency reportedly assessed that the attacks prompted serious concern in Pyongyang over the possibility of a similar 'decapitation strike' targeting North Korea's top leadership in the future.
The new provision was adopted during the first session of the 15th Supreme People's Assembly held in Pyongyang on March 22.
South Korea's National Intelligence Service later briefed senior government officials about the constitutional change.
Experts say Iran attacks triggered alarm in North Korea
Defence experts believe the speed and precision of the strikes on Iran deeply unsettled the North Korean leadership.
Analysts say Pyongyang fears that foreign powers could attempt a similar operation against Kim Jong Un and North Korea's military leadership.
Andrei Lankov, a professor of history and international relations at Kookmin University in Seoul, described the Iran operation as a major warning signal for North Korea.
'Iran was a wake-up call,' Lankov reportedly said, adding that North Korea witnessed how effective US-Israeli decapitation strikes could be in eliminating senior leadership quickly.
Policy may have existed unofficially earlier
Experts also suggested that such a retaliatory doctrine may have existed informally within North Korea's military framework earlier, but its inclusion in the constitution significantly raises its political and strategic importance.
The development is expected to further heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula and add to global concerns over nuclear security and regional stability.