North Korea on Tuesday demolished sections of unused roads that once connected it to South Korea, The Associated Press reports.
This symbolic act of anger follows recent accusations by North Korea that South Korean drones flew over its capital Pyongyang, sparking a war of words between the two Koreas.
The choreographed demolition of the roads underscores North Korea’s growing hostility towards South Korea’s conservative government. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to sever relations with South Korea and abandon the goal of peaceful Korean unification.
Observers say it’s unlikely Kim will launch a preemptive, large-scale attack on South Korea due to the potential for devastating retaliation from the superior military forces of the United States and South Korea. However, the recent actions demonstrate a clear escalation in tensions.
In response to the explosions, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff fired within southern sections of the border as a precautionary measure, bolstering its readiness and surveillance posture. The statement did not disclose specifics, but the move could have been an attempt to prevent further escalation by North Korea. It is unclear if North Korea responded.
South Korea’s Unification Ministry condemned the North’s actions as “highly abnormal” and “regressive,” violating previous inter-Korean agreements.
Video footage released by South Korea’s military shows plumes of white and gray smoke rising from the explosion at a road near the western border town of Kaesong. Trucks and excavators can be seen clearing debris. Another video shows smoke emanating from a coastal road near the eastern border.
This incident is not the first time North Korea has staged the destruction of facilities as a political statement. In 2020, North Korea demolished a South Korean-built liaison office building in response to civilian leafleting campaigns. In 2018, North Korea demolished tunnels at its nuclear testing site at the start of nuclear diplomacy with the United States.
Destroying the roads, built largely with South Korean funding, aligns with Kim Jong Un’s January order to abandon peaceful reunification and formally designate South Korea as North Korea’s “invariable principal enemy.” This shift surprised many observers, as it seemed to deviate from his predecessors’ goal of peaceful unification on North Korea’s terms.
Experts believe Kim’s aim is to diminish South Korea’s influence in the regional nuclear standoff and seek direct dealings with the United States. He may also be seeking to undermine South Korean cultural influence and consolidate his family’s dynastic rule.
North Korea accuses South Korea of infiltrating drones to distribute propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang three times this month, threatening to respond with force if the alleged flights continue. While South Korea has refused to confirm the drone incidents, it has warned North Korea of severe consequences if the safety of South Korean citizens is threatened.
Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of Kim Jong Un, stated Tuesday that North Korea has secured unspecified evidence confirming South Korean “military gangsters” behind the alleged drone flights. She warned South Korea will “have to pay a dear price.”
North Korea’s escalating aggression against South Korea has sparked international concern. Kim Jong Un has outlined “immediate military action” plans and strengthened his country’s war deterrent, according to state media. The North Korean military has threatened to “turn South Korea into piles of ashes” and declared frontline units ready to open fire.
These threats follow a period of increased tension, marked by North Korea’s recent decision to permanently block its border with South Korea and build fortified defenses, including anti-tank barriers and minefields. This move further complicates the already fraught relationship between the two Koreas, which saw a brief period of detente in the 2000s. During that period, South Korea provided $132.9 million in loans to rebuild road and rail links across the border, but these projects were halted due to ongoing disputes over North Korea’s nuclear program.
As North Korea continues its provocative missile tests, South Korea and the United States have stepped up joint military exercises and cooperation, adding fuel to the already tense situation.
