North Korea's military has announced plans to cut off all roads and railways connected to South Korea starting today, October 9. This decision comes in response to recent military maneuvers conducted by South Korea and the United States. The North aims to construct "strong defense structures" in the affected areas as part of these measures.
According to a report from the North Korean People's Army, the project will completely sever transport links with South Korea, creating a physical barrier between the two nations. The military emphasized that this action is a necessary self-defense measure to secure North Korea's territory and to inhibit potential conflict. They referred to South Korea as the "primary hostile state and invariable principal enemy."
North Korea's military described its decision as a "more resolute and stronger measure" due to the "acute military situation" on the Korean Peninsula. This statement cites ongoing South Korean military exercises near the border and the deployment of U.S. strategic nuclear assets in the region as provocations.
In an effort to prevent misunderstandings, North Korea sent a message to the U.S. military stationed in South Korea, seeking to avoid accidental conflict related to the construction project.
This announcement occurs against a backdrop of heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea has been increasing its military activities, including sending trash-carrying balloons toward the South and publicly revealing a uranium enrichment facility for the first time.
The United States maintains approximately 28,000 troops in South Korea as a deterrent against North Korean aggression, a legacy of the Korean War (1950-1953), which ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
In response to North Korea's announcement, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported that they had not observed any construction activity by the North Korean military near the border as of Wednesday morning. The JCS warned that they would not ignore any actions by North Korea that attempt to alter the status quo. They made it clear that if provocation occurs, North Korea would face significant consequences, targeting not just the source of the provocation but also the supporting forces.
Historically, the Koreas have been connected by road and railway along routes like the Gyeongui line, linking South Korea's Paju with North Korea's Kaesong, and the Donghae line along the eastern coast. However, since Kim Jong-un declared the Koreas as "two hostile states" late last year, North Korea has taken steps to dismantle these once-symbolic routes of inter-Korean exchange and cooperation. This includes measures such as installing mines along the Gyeongui and Donghae roads earlier this year.
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