North Korea discontinued all land connections with South Korea.
North Korea decides to break off its remaining transportation ties with its southern neighbor, South Korea. As per the state news agency KCNA, this decision comes from North Korea's General Staff, who plan to reinforce the northern borders with robust defense mechanisms. These actions are set to commence straightaway, driven by the necessity to safeguard national security and ward off potential conflict.
South Korean military intel suggests that North Korea has planted numerous landmines along the boundary in the past few months. The planned interruption of the existing sparse road and rail routes primarily serves as a symbolic gesture by North Korea, given that direct interaction between the two sides has been nonexistent for several years due to the heavily fortified border.
Contrasting the current standoff, during the time of reconciliation between the two Koreas around the turn of the century, North Korea operated the Kaesong Special Economic Zone along the border, where South Korean businesses and North Korean workers collaborated to produce products such as textiles. Moreover, the northern side allowed thousands of South Korean tourists to visit the scenic Diamond Mountain (Korean: "Keumgangsan") region in its eastern part.
Nonetheless, the tone between the two Korea's switched dramatically. In late 2023, North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, labelled the inter-Korean relations as hostile during a Workers' Party meeting. Furthermore, he advocated for South Korea to be designated as the primary foe in North Korea's socialist constitution.
The international community expresses concern over the escalation of the The North Korean conflict, as North Korea's actions could potentially destabilize the region. The ongoing conflict starkly contrasts the period of cooperation and collaboration between North and South Korea, such as the operation of the Kaesong Special Economic Zone.
