UPDATED at 05:57 a.m. ET on Oct. 9, 2024.
North Korea’s military said it will cut off roads and railways to South Korea and bolster border defenses from Wednesday, citing South Korean military exercises and U.S. “strategic nuclear assets” for the decision.
Relations between North and South Korea have been particularly strained recently with both sides exchanging threats of annihilation if the other were ever to attack.
“A project will be launched first on October 9 to completely cut off roads and railways connected to the ROK and fortify the relevant areas of our side with strong defense structures,” said the general staff of the North Korean People’s Army in a report carried by the North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.
The North Korean military said the steps were self-defensive and it accused South Korea of creating a “critical situation where touch-and-go danger of war is ever-escalating.”
“Amid various war exercises for aggression being staged simultaneously in the region of the ROK every day near the southern border of the DPRK, strategic nuclear assets of the U.S. frequent the region and the war maniacs loudly talk about the ‘end of regime’ in the DPRK so often. This proves the gravity of the situation can never be overlooked,” it said.
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is North Korea’s official name.
The suspension of links is unlikely to have much impact on either of the neighbors as their border has been sealed in recent years and heavily guarded on both sides.
The North Korean military said “the acute military situation prevailing on the Korean peninsula” required it to take “more resolute and stronger” measures to defend national security.
“For our army to permanently shut off and block the southern border with the ROK, the primary hostile state and invariable principal enemy, in the current situation is a self-defensive measure for inhibiting war and defending the security of the DPRK,” said the North Korean military, adding that it had informed the U.S. of its decision on Wednesday to prevent any “misjudgment and accidental conflict”.
The South Korea military said it “will not tolerate any actions by North Korea that seek to unilaterally change the status quo.”
“We clearly warn North Korea that it will be held accountable for any consequences,” said South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.
‘Make joint efforts’
China said it was paying close attention to developments and changes in the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
“China believes that the preservation of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the political settlement process of the issues regarding the Korean Peninsula are in the common interests of each country and the universal expectations of the international community,” a China’s foreign ministry spokesperson said.
“It is necessary for each party to make joint efforts.”
North Korea regularly acclaims its nuclear weapons and threatens to use them if attacked. Last month, it unveiled details of its uranium enrichment facility for the first time, with its leader, Kim Jong Un, calling for increasing the number of centrifuges for uranium enrichment so it can increase its nuclear arsenal for self-defense.
For its part, South Korea unveiled its Hyunmoo-5 missile last week, which is designed to respond to a North Korean nuclear weapon by targeting its leadership and military headquarters in a retaliatory strike, during a ceremony to mark the 76th founding anniversary of South Korea's armed forces.
South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yoel issued a warning to North Korea at the time saying its regime would be finished if it attempted to use nuclear weapons. North Korea's Kim responded by repeating his threat to use his nuclear arsenal if attacked.
Tensions between the rivals have been exacerbated in recent months by a North Korean campaign of sending trash-carrying balloons over South Korea, in response to anti-North Korea activists sending propaganda leaflets into North Korea the same way.
South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said on Tuesday that the military would retaliate if the North continued to send the balloons.
“We will take stern responses not only at the point of origin but also supporting and commanding forces if North Korea is deemed to cross the line regarding the trash balloon provocation,” the minister told parliament.
The North has sent more than 5,000 balloons across the border toward South Korea since May, most recently on Monday with the launch of about 120 balloons carrying trash.
Edited by Mike Firn.
Updated to include statements from South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff and China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.