New North Korea Constitution Calls Kim Head of State, Seen as Step to U.S. Peace Treaty

SEOUL—Kim Jong Un has been formally named head of state of North Korea Kim Jong Un and commander-in-chief of the military in a new constitution observers said was possibly aimed at preparing for a peace treaty with the United States.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during the 4th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in Pyongyang on April 10, 2019. KCNA via Reuters/File Photo

SEOUL—Kim Jong Un has been formally named head of state of North Korea Kim Jong Un and commander-in-chief of the military in a new constitution observers said was possibly aimed at preparing for a peace treaty with the United States.

North Korea has long called for a peace deal with the United States to normalize relations and end the technical state of war that has existed since the 1950-1953 Korean War concluded with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.