North Korea Plans to Demolish Inter-Korean Roads Amid Tensions with South Korea

Photo : AP

North Korea is preparing to demolish parts of inter-Korean roads, signaling a further deterioration in relations with South Korea. This announcement by South Korea comes as tensions between the two nations continue to escalate. The roads, located in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, have not been used for some time and were once seen as symbols of inter-Korean cooperation.

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The reported preparations are viewed as part of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s strategy to sever ties with South Korea, officially designating it as the country’s primary adversary. According to Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, North Korean workers have been spotted installing screens along the roads and are preparing for demolition through controlled explosions. “They have installed screens on the roads and are working behind those screens, preparing to blow up the roads,” Lee stated during a press briefing. He warned that the demolitions could commence as soon as Monday.

This destruction would represent a significant step toward North Korea's isolation from its southern neighbor. It aligns with Kim's recent announcements of intentions to permanently seal the border with South Korea and develop new defensive structures along the front line. Just last week, North Korea declared it would further strengthen its defenses, citing what it termed “confrontational hysteria” from South Korea and the United States.

Adding fuel to the fire, Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, publicly criticized the South Korean military, referring to them as “dregs” and “mongrels tamed by Yankees” in a statement on Monday. She demanded that the United States, portrayed as the “master” of South Korean forces, be held accountable for alleged drone activities over North Korean territory. While South Korea has not confirmed sending drones, it has warned of stern retaliation if North Korea poses a threat to its citizens.

North Korea has also accused South Korea of using drones to drop propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang and has threatened retaliation if such actions continue. The North’s Defence Ministry reported that it has instructed artillery units stationed near the border to be fully prepared to engage in combat, warning that South Korea “might turn into piles of ashes” following a significant retaliatory strike.

Despite the warlike rhetoric, analysts believe that a preemptive military strike from North Korea is improbable, given the disparity between its military capabilities and the combined forces of South Korea and the United States. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are currently at their highest in years, with North Korea conducting missile tests and South Korea and the U.S. increasing their joint military exercises.

South Korean officials argue that North Korea's accusations are likely attempts to foster internal unity while creating instability in the South. Koo Byoungsam, a spokesperson for South Korea’s Unification Ministry, stated, “North Korea cannot win what it wants from South Korea with threats and provocations.”

Observers speculate that North Korea may also be positioning itself for additional weapons tests in anticipation of the upcoming U.S. presidential election, aiming to leverage these provocations for future negotiations with Washington. Earlier this year, Kim Jong Un revised North Korea's constitution to eliminate the goal of peaceful unification and officially designate South Korea as its “invariable principal enemy.”

This marked departure from previous leadership’s aspirations for unification has alarmed experts, who interpret it as an effort to diminish South Korea's role in regional diplomacy and shift North Korea's focus toward direct engagement with the United States.