DPRK blows up part of the roads connecting it to South Korea

15 October, 2024 The moment when the road between North Korea and South Korea is blown up. Photo: Joint Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Korea The DPRK blew up part of the roads connecting it to South Korea.

The Joint Staff of the South Korean Armed Forces published the video of the Gyeongui section of the road being blown up. This destruction follows a recent statement in which they expressed their dissatisfaction with the confrontation in the region and the exercises between South Korea and the United States. Amid deteriorating relations between the two countries, the DPRK announced that it would start strengthening its border with the south and block roads and railways.

The blowing up of part of the roads on October 15, 2024, is the first stage of the complete severance of all contact with the South. On this basis, South Korean intelligence considers this step to be a pure demonstration of its own power.

According to Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military has taken certain countermeasures, the details of which he did not provide during his speech. The relationship deterioration began a month ago when the DPRK sent garbage in balloons. South Korea responded similarly, sending food balloons to the North.

In addition to accusations of throwing food balls, North Korea accused its neighbor of flying a drone over Pyongyang to drop propaganda leaflets.

An outpost near the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. Photo credits: South Korean Ministry of Defense

According to the DPRK, the bombing of roads and, probably, railways is aimed at avoiding a war that could be the last for South Korea and all its allies in the Indo-Pacific region. Previously, South Korean officials stated that the DPRK has already installed anti-tank barriers and fortified roads on its side of the border since April, likely in an effort to strengthen its security on the front line and prevent its soldiers and citizens from fleeing to South Korea.

Despite the warming of relations between 2016 and 2019, which allowed the countries to weaken the border and disarm some garrisons along the state border, the situation is now quite different.

Militarnyi previously reported that North Korea accused South Korea of flying drones over its capital to drop anti-North Korean propaganda flyers.