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Russia-Friendly Country Blows Up Roads Near Enemy Borders as Conflict Escalates
The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that around noon that day, a section of road north of the Military Demarcation Line dividing North and South Korea was blown up.
In response, it was later added that the Korean military had launched a "counterattack" from south of the DML.
Since North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared South Korea his "main enemy" earlier this year, North Korea has laid new mines, built anti-tank barriers and deployed nuclear-capable missiles along its already heavily fortified border, the Guardian reports.
Last week, North Korea said it would permanently close its southern border in response to South Korean military exercises and visits to U.S. nuclear sites, and Seoul warned Monday that North Korea was preparing to blow up roads.
Last week, North Korea accused the South Korean government of using drones to spread anti-government propaganda leaflets in Pyongyang, and in response, state media reported that Chairman Kim Jong Un had called a security meeting to prepare a plan for "immediate military action" Tuesday.
As the Guardian highlighted, the roads and railways connecting the two countries have been closed for a long time. But their destruction is a clear signal that Kim Jong-un is not ready to negotiate with South Korea, experts say.
Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies, told Agence France-Presse: "This is a practical military measure related to the hostile dual-state system that North Korea has often mentioned."
Researcher Yang Moo-jin said he believed North Korea may be seeking to build more physical barriers along the border, adding that the explosion could have been "preparatory work for the construction of such a wall."
Our military initially denied sending drones to North Korea, but declined to comment despite direct criticism from North Korea. He warned that if another drone was found it would be seen as a "propaganda statement."
Activist groups have long used balloons for propaganda in North Korea, and enthusiasts have been known to launch small, hard-to-detect drones into the country.
The Korean Central News Agency reported that "serious provocations from enemies" were reported during a meeting with Chairman Kim that day.
In 2022, for the first time in five years, five North Korean drones flew over our territory, and our military began firing warning shots and deploying fighter jets. The fighter failed to shoot down the drone, writes The Guardian.
In July, the South Korean government said it would use lasers to destroy drones this year, saying the country's ability to respond to provocations would be "significantly improved."
The new laser weapon, dubbed "Project Star Wars" in South Korea, emits a silent, invisible beam of light that costs just 2,000 won ($1.45) per use, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.
The Guardian noted that inter-Korean relations are at their lowest point in years. Last week, the North Korean military announced it would permanently close its southern border, “completely blocking roads and railways” leading south and building a “strong defensive structure.”
Jeong Sung-chan, an expert at the Sejong Institute, said after North Korea wrapped up a meeting with Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang: "If drones invade the South again, attention will be paid to whether North Korea will respond by sending drones to the South or take decisive action."