High tension between the two Koreas. The North Korean army blew up some sections of the roads that connect, used for trade with South Korea. This was announced by the Seoul army, highlighting the increase in tensions between the two neighboring countries . “North Korea blew up parts of Gyeongui and Donghae Roads north of the military demarcation line,” the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said, using the official name of the inter-Korean border.
Seoul forces reacted with “return fire” on their territory, they added, without providing further details. Last October 9, the North Korean army announced its intention to “permanently” cut the highly symbolic road and railway lines connecting the two countries and to build “strong defensive structures” along the border, which is already de facto completely closed. Since the end of the war in 1953, the two inter-Korean roads and railways have only been reopened during brief periods of truce. Relations between the two Koreas have deteriorated significantly since conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol came to power in Seoul in 2022, favoring a firm policy toward the North and a strengthening of the military alliance with the United States and Japan.
The three allies regularly conduct joint military exercises that Pyongyang sees as dress rehearsals for an invasion of the North. According to North Korean state media, yesterday Kim Jong Un chaired a meeting of the country’s top military officials and outlined the lines for “immediate military action”, after protesting against drones that dropped leaflets over the North Korean capital. Seoul’s military leaders explained that Pyongyang is now “carrying out further activities using heavy machinery” and that there has been no damage to its facilities or military personnel as a result of North Korean activities, and that the South’s army is “strengthening its surveillance and alert attitude”. The Gyeongui road and rail corridor connects the South Korean border city of Paju in the west with the North Korean city of Kaesong, while Donghae crosses the North-South demarcation along the east coast.
Propaganda activities from the south exacerbate tensions. Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un, said Pyongyang had obtained clear evidence that South Korean “military gangsters” were behind the alleged drone flights. He warned that South Korea “will have to pay a heavy price” for this. North Korea had previously accused South Korea of carrying out drone incursions into its territory three times this month to drop propaganda leaflets on Pyongyang and threatened to respond with force if this happened again.
What is it about? It is propaganda material perhaps created by an association of North Korean exiles based in the South or by Seoul’s intelligence. The flyers feature photos of Kim and her sister wearing luxury clothes, watches and accessories as the country lingers in poverty. The posters also list how many kilos of rice and wheat could be purchased with the money spent on the clothing and accessories shown in the photos.
#caught #Tempo
