North Korea has destroyed sections of inter-Korean roads on its facet of the closely fortified border, in keeping with South Korea‘s Joint Chiefs of Employees. The roads, as soon as symbols of fragile cooperation between the 2 Koreas, had for lengthy been left unused.
The transfer, confirmed by South Korea on Tuesday, alerts yet one more step in direction of severing what little stays of inter-Korean ties.
South Korea’s army, whereas denouncing the destruction of the roads, has responded by bolstering its defenses. “We’re reinforcing our readiness to make sure the safety of our nation,” the Joint Chiefs mentioned.
This newest improvement comes at a time of heightened animosity between the 2 neighbors, additional exacerbated by accusations from the North that South Korea had flown drones over its capital, Pyongyang. These allegations, coupled with North Korean chief Kim Jong Un’s latest directive for “quick army motion,” have stirred fears of a broader confrontation on the Korean Peninsula.
Earlier, the North accused the South of utilizing drones to drop anti-regime propaganda over Pyongyang, prompting Kim to convene an emergency nationwide safety assembly.
Based on state-run media, Kim ordered his army to be on excessive alert, prepared to fireplace at any overseas objects crossing the border. The South, in the meantime, initially denied the drone accusations however later refused to substantiate or deny any such operations.
The once-open traces of communication between the 2 Koreas have all however disintegrated, with relations now at their lowest level in years. Simply final week, North Korea introduced its intentions to fully sever the southern border, not solely reducing off roads but in addition railways. The North additionally declared it will construct “sturdy protection constructions” alongside the border, a transfer interpreted as a reinforcement of its already sturdy army presence.
