On Wednesday, October 9, the General Staff Department of the Korean People’s Army announced that it will completely sever the railway and road connections with South Korea and fortify defense facilities on the North Korean side of the border. The North Korean military described this move as a self-defense measure against South Korea, which they consider the “number one enemy and main adversary,” in response to the frequent visits of US strategic nuclear assets like submarines or bombers to South Korea.
The South Korean Ministry of National Defense stated that they have informed the United Nations Command (UNC) about this matter and that they are closely communicating and cooperating with the UNC regarding North Korea’s declaration. However, they declined to disclose specific details.
The United Nations Command is a multinational military force led by the United States, responsible for overseeing affairs in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas.
In its statement, North Korea declared that it will permanently sever and block the southern border with South Korea, commencing construction activities on October 9 to completely cut off the roads and railways connecting the two countries and fortify defense facilities to enhance wartime defense capabilities.
The North Korean military also reported that they had informed the US military by phone at 9:45 local time on the 9th.
North Korea’s announcement on Wednesday indicates an escalation in military activities along the Korean Peninsula’s demarcation line. Such developments have been rare in recent years and only reemerged this year. South Korean military observations noted increased construction in heavily fortified border areas by North Korea, including the installation of barriers suspected to be anti-tank obstacles, road reinforcements, and landmine placement.