N. Korea’s Parliament Adopts New Law on National Anthem

PYONGYANG: North Korea's parliament has adopted a new law concerning its national anthem, according to state media reports on Friday. This legislative move is perceived by analysts as an effort to reinforce leader Kim Jong-un's characterization of South Korea as a hostile state. According to Yonhap News Agency, the 33rd session of the Standing Committee of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) took place in Pyongyang on Thursday, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). While the KCNA did not provide specific details about the new law, experts suggest it likely delineates the manner in which the national anthem should be performed or presented at various events. The adoption of this law follows recent modifications to the lyrics of North Korea's national anthem, an action taken after Kim Jong-un labeled inter-Korean relations as those between "two states hostile to each other" late last year. Analysts speculate that the revised anthem might exclude references to the entire Korean Peninsula. " There have been laws on the national flag, national emblem, and nationality, but no specific law on the national anthem until now. This law appears to regulate that," said Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification. Despite the SPA being North Korea's highest legislative body, it primarily functions to ratify decisions already made by the ruling party. South Korea's unification ministry weighed in on the development, suggesting that the new law could be part of North Korea's broader strategy to foster patriotism. "North Korea has laws on the national emblem and flag, and in February 2023, it enacted a law on national symbols to promote a sense of state identity and encourage patriotism among its people, which likely led to this recent legislation on the national anthem," stated Kim In-ae, deputy spokesperson at the ministry, during a press briefing.