North Korea Updates Constitution, Omits Korean Unification References Amid International Trade Fair

North Korea has revised its constitution to drop references to unification of the Korean Peninsula, marking a shift in its official stance on relations with the South. The revision comes as the country welcomed foreign visitors and firms to the Pyongyang Spring International Trade Fair this week, an event that opened on Monday at the Central Youth Hall in Pyongyang.

Named the 24th Pyongyang Spring International Trade Fair, the event showcased home-grown products, including the latest model of the Jindallae smartphone, which comes in a range of colors and features a large circular camera module with multiple lenses.

Jindallae means 'azalea' in Korean, and Pyongyang touted the smartphone as a convenient way for citizens to stay connected through a strictly controlled domestic network. More than 290 enterprises and companies from North Korea, Russia, China, Mongolia, Switzerland, and Thailand were represented at the trade fair, according to state media.

North Korea remains under sanctions over its nuclear and weapons programs, which have isolated the country diplomatically and strained its ageing manufacturing base.

Reports suggest North Korean-produced phones periodically capture screenshots that are stored in hidden folders accessible to authorities.