North Korea "Severing South Korea Connection Roads and Railways, Fortification Construction... Notified US Forces"

North Korea has declared that it will completely sever the roads and railways connecting to the South and carry out fortress construction work to fully block and seal off the 'southern border.'

On the 22nd, reporters are walking along the 'DMZ Peace Trail' in Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do. / Photo by Joint Press Corps

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According to the Korean Central News Agency on the 9th, the General Staff Department of the Korean People's Army stated in a press release, "From the 9th, construction work will proceed to completely cut off the roads and railways in our territory connected to the Republic of Korea and fortify them with solid defensive fortifications."

The General Staff Department claimed, "Under the current circumstances, our military's permanent blocking and sealing of the southern border adjoining the Republic of Korea, our primary enemy and immutable adversary, is a self-defensive measure to deter war and protect the safety of the Republic." It added, "Regarding the fortress construction work taking place in the sensitive southern border area, our military sent a telephone notification to the U.S. military at 9:45 a.m. on the 9th to prevent misunderstandings and accidental clashes."

The North Korean military justified this measure by citing military exercises in South Korea and the deployment of U.S. strategic assets. The General Staff Department stated, "The unprecedented simultaneous and widespread invasion war exercises carried out daily in the Korean areas adjacent to our southern border, the untimely appearances of U.S. nuclear strategic assets, and the belligerent cries of warmongers talking about the 'end of regime' have become a daily reality, demonstrating the seriousness of the situation that cannot be overlooked." It added, "The acute military situation on the Korean Peninsula demands that our military take firmer and stronger measures to more reliably safeguard the nation's security."

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