North Korea Plans to Destroy Inter-Korean Roads Amid Rising Tensions

October 14, 2024

South Korea announced on Monday that it has detected preparations by North Korea to destroy the northern parts of inter-Korean roads that are no longer in use. This move comes amid escalating tensions between the two Koreas, following North Korea’s allegations that South Korea has been flying drones over its territory. Analysts suggest that the planned demolitions align with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s broader strategy to sever ties with South Korea, officially designating it as the North’s primary adversary and abandoning the long-standing goal of peaceful unification. In a statement that exemplified the North’s growing hostility, Kim’s sister and high-ranking official, Kim Yo Jong, derided the South Korean military, referring to them as “dregs” and “mongrels tamed by Yankees,” and claimed that the U.S. must be held accountable for the alleged drone incursions.

South Korea’s military has been closely monitoring activities in the North and noted that preparations for the demolition of the roads have begun, with screens being installed to conceal the operations. Lee Sung Joon, a spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed that the North could commence demolition as early as Monday. Furthermore, there are concerns that North Korea might engage in additional provocations, including a potential space rocket launch, which the United Nations views as a veiled test of long-range missile capabilities. Historically, during a period of detente in the 2000s, the two Koreas had reestablished two road routes and rail connections across their heavily fortified border. However, these initiatives were subsequently halted due to disputes regarding North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

In the past week, North Korea declared its intent to permanently seal its border with South Korea and has begun constructing defensive structures to address what it termed “confrontational hysteria” from South Korean and U.S. military forces. South Korean officials reported that North Korea has been laying mines and erecting anti-tank barriers along the border. Additionally, North Korea has accused South Korea of deploying drones to distribute propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang, threatening to retaliate if such actions were repeated. In response to the rising tensions, the North’s Defense Ministry has instructed military units near the South Korean border to be fully prepared to open fire, stating that South Korean territory could be obliterated by a powerful North Korean attack. Despite the harsh rhetoric, experts believe a full-scale preemptive attack is unlikely, given North Korea’s military inferiority compared to the combined forces of the U.S. and South Korea. Observers suggest that North Korea’s aggressive posture aims to consolidate internal unity while undermining stability in South Korea, as the peninsula remains tense amidst ongoing missile tests by the North and expanded military exercises by South Korea and the U.S.

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