According to the new version of the North Korean constitution, the country's leader, Kim Jong-un, has officially received the right to use nuclear weapons, Reuters reports, citing North Korean state media.

As specified, the updated Basic Law grants Kim Jong-un the authority to order the use of the nuclear arsenal as head of the State Council (formerly the Chairman of State Affairs), the country's highest governing body. The document also states that the DPRK will continue to develop and improve its nuclear potential, officially referred to as the "nuclearization policy," with the goal of preventing war.

This decision formally consolidates the powers of the North Korean leader that he already de facto wielded. The news has sparked concern in Seoul, where it has already been called a "very worrying signal." Analysts interviewed by Reuters also emphasize that the document's lack of a no-first-use clause poses a serious threat. South Korea's defense minister has already warned that this could lead to "disaster" for the North Korean regime itself in the event of a nuclear attack. Pyongyang's actions also strengthen the military alliance between Seoul and Washington.