North Korea in May 2026: the most important developments in politics
North Korea in May 2026 revised its constitution. Reports on 6 May said the amended text drops references to unification of the Korean Peninsula, and a further report on 10 May said it mandates a nuclear strike if Kim Jong Un is assassinated. On 7 May North Korea announced it is no longer bound by the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, and the constitutional changes give Kim formal authority over the country's nuclear weapons. On 28 May it rejected calls for nuclear disarmament.
Relations with other governments featured through the month. In a Victory Day message on 8 May, Kim reaffirmed his commitment to deepening ties with Russia, and he sent greetings to Vladimir Putin. Russia and China were reported to oppose the isolation of North Korea. South Korean media reported on 21 May that Chinese President Xi Jinping may visit North Korea in late May or early June, his first visit in seven years, and South Korea's unification minister said the trip could open the door to discussions about a Kim-Trump summit. A White House official had said earlier in the month that a Trump-Kim meeting was not currently scheduled for Trump's upcoming Asia trip. Singapore's top envoy travelled to North Korea in a rare visit on 26 May.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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