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The South’s military responded with warning shots, underscoring the increasingly soured relations between the two nations.
According to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the destruction took place around midday on Tuesday, impacting roads and rail lines on the northern side of the border. The move followed Pyongyang’s recent declaration that it would sever all inter-Korean connections and bolster defences along its side of the border as part of its push for a “two-state” system, abandoning its longstanding unification goal.
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South Korea’s unification ministry, which oversees cross-border relations, swiftly condemned the destructions. Ministry spokesperson Koo Byoung-sam labelled the incident as a violation of prior inter-Korean agreements, calling it “highly abnormal.” He added, “It is deplorable that North Korea is repeatedly conducting such regressive behaviour.”
The demolition also followed allegations by North Korea that South Korea sent drones into its territory, allegedly scattering anti-North Korean leaflets. Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, warned on Tuesday that Seoul would “pay a dear price” for the actions. While South Korea has neither confirmed nor denied any drone operations, the accusations have further inflamed hostilities.
Footage released by South Korea’s military captured the explosion, with smoke plumes rising above the affected areas. The video also showed North Korean military officials supervising dump trucks and earth-movers as they dismantled the infrastructure.
In response, South Korean forces fired warning shots near the military demarcation line, although they reported no damage on their side of the border.
