The "dead hand" policy was formally adopted during a recent session of the Supreme People's Assembly in Pyongyang. 

Under the newly revised constitutional language, the North Korean military is legally required to launch its nuclear arsenal according to a pre-determined operation plan if the state's command-and-control system is placed in danger or eliminated by foreign forces.

The drastic constitutional amendment is widely seen as a direct response to recent geopolitical events, specifically the high-precision strikes that eliminated senior Iranian leadership earlier in the year. 

Observers note that Pyongyang closely analyzed those strikes, which sparked deep fears within the North Korean regime of a similar Western-led decapitation attempt targeting Kim Jong Un. 

By hardwiring nuclear retaliation into the state's highest laws, the country hopes to create an ultimate deterrent against any plans for regime change or targeted assassinations.