Tension is at its highest between North Korea and South Korea this Tuesday, October 15. The Seoul authorities claimed, with supporting videos, that their northern counterparts had “exploded certain northern sections of two inter-Korean roads in an apparent attempt to sever all ties with South Korea” and to formalize their desire to abandon the goal of unifying the peninsula, reports “The Korea Times”.
According to our colleagues, the two roads targeted are the Gyeongui road, which linked the two Koreas to the west of the country and which was mainly used by businessmen who operated the factories of the Gaeseong industrial complex. And the Donghae Road, which runs along the east coast and is used by tourists visiting Mount Geumgang in North Korea. Reuters adds that railway tracks were also targeted.
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In response, impressive roadblocks were set up on the southern side and the South Korean army fired several warning shots into its own territory. And the South Korean Ministry of Unification denounced an “extremely abnormal” provocation, stressing that Seoul had largely financed the construction of the roads.
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“A measure of self-defense”
North Korea notified its neighbors of this operation on October 9 via a press release from the General Staff of the North Korean People’s Army relayed by the official North Korean news agency KCNA. Pyongyang then affirmed that “the fact that [son] army permanently closes and blocks the southern border with South Korea, the main hostile state and main invariable enemy, is a self-defense measure to prevent war and safeguard the security of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have escalated after North Korea accused South Korea of sending drones to drop propaganda leaflets on Pyongyang three times in recent days. Information which was not commented on by the authorities in Seoul, but which had pushed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to convene a “high-level” national security meeting to “guide plans for immediate military action in response to the alleged infiltration.”
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Kim Yo Jong, the sister of the powerful North Korean leader, had, for her part, warned that Seoul “would pay a high price”. And the government promised to build “strong defensive structures” along the border.
A year under very high tension
In January 2024, Kim Jong-un had already ordered the dissolution of all institutions responsible for relations with Seoul and projects for the reunification of Korea and threatened to go to war for any violation of his territory “even if only to 0.001 millimeter”.
And since May, North Korea has sent thousands of balloons loaded with rubbish toward the South, prompting Seoul to broadcast its propaganda broadcasts by loudspeaker along the border and to suspend a 2018 agreement intended to prevent military clashes.
Tuesday October 15, Russia reaffirmed its support for its North Korean ally.
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