North Korea has announced plans to sever all road and railway connections with South Korea starting Wednesday. The country also intends to bolster its defenses along the border, signaling escalating tensions between the two nations.
In a statement released by state media KCNA, the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army indicated that these border fortification efforts are a direct response to ongoing military exercises conducted by South Korea, labeling it “the primary hostile state and invariable principal enemy.” The statement also referenced the presence of US strategic nuclear assets in the region. Prior to this announcement, North Korea had already begun laying landmines and erecting barriers along its side of the border, as well as creating wastelands, according to a report by Reuters.
South Korea’s Ministry of Defense has informed the United Nations Command (UNC) about North Korea’s actions, emphasizing that South Korea remains in close communication with the UNC regarding the situation at the border. The UNC, led by the US, oversees activities in the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea.
Additionally, North Korea's Supreme People’s Assembly held a session this week, but state media did not indicate any changes to the country’s official stance on the unification of the Koreas. There had been speculation that the parliament might remove references to "unification" from its constitution, following comments made by Kim Jong-un earlier this year when he said that unification is no longer possible between the two countries.
KCNA state media also did not mention if there would be any law change to designate South Korea as a “primary foe” or clarification of the borders.
