North Korea will cut off road and rail access to South Korea starting Wednesday, aiming to “completely separate” the two nations.
The North’s military announced that it would “permanently close and block the southern border” while reinforcing its side of the boundary.
The Korean People’s Army (KPA) called this action “a self-defensive measure to prevent war,” citing it as a response to military exercises in South Korea and the increased presence of American nuclear assets in the region.
This move heightens tensions between the Koreas, which are already at their most strained in years.
“The acute military situation prevailing on the Korean peninsula requires the armed forces of the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) to take a more resolute and stronger measure in order to more creditably defend the national security,” the KPA said in a report published by state media outlet KCNA.
The declaration by Pyongyang is largely symbolic, as roads and railways connecting North Korea to the South are rarely used and have been gradually dismantled by North Korean authorities over the past year.
This move is part of a broader effort by Pyongyang to redefine its relationship with the South, following a series of provocative actions that have further strained relations between the two nations.
These incidents have included missile tests and the sending of hundreds of trash-filled balloons across the southern border.
Significantly, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un announced at the beginning of 2023 that he was no longer pursuing reunification with the South, raising fears of renewed conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
“I think it is necessary to revise some contents of the Constitution of the DPRK,” Kim said at a meeting of North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) in January.
“In my view, it is necessary to delete such expressions in the constitution as ‘northern half’ and ‘independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity,’” he added, suggesting that the constitution should be revised “at the next session.”
The next session was held this week and concluded on Tuesday. While many observers anticipated that Pyongyang would endorse Kim’s earlier remarks and introduce constitutional amendments regarding unification and border policies, no such changes were announced.
An analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification speculated that Pyongyang might be waiting for the outcome of the U.S. election before making any definitive decisions.
Officials may “consider adjusting the extent of constitutional revisions to align with the direction of the new (U.S.) administration,” Hong Min told the AFP news agency.
It remains unclear whether North Korea’s decision to sever all road and rail links to the South was influenced by discussions during the Supreme People’s Assembly session.