North Korea Threatens to Destroy Roads, Tensions Escalate

North Korea to destroy roads

North Korea Threatens to Destroy Roads: North Korea is preparing to destroy roads that cross the militarized border with South Korea, Seoul reported on Monday, as tensions rise following accusations from the North that its southern neighbor had sent drones over Pyongyang. South Korean military officials stated that North Korean troops were observed working covertly on roads near the western and eastern coasts of the border, possibly preparing for explosions, which could happen as soon as Monday.

Last Friday, North Korea accused South Korea of dispatching drones to release a large number of anti-regime leaflets over Pyongyang, labeling it a political and military provocation that could trigger armed conflict. Lee Sung-jun, a spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, declined to confirm whether the South Korean military or civilians were involved with the drones.

In a heated statement on Monday, Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, claimed that the South Korean military was responsible for the drone incident and that the U.S. should also be held accountable. She criticized both countries, saying that if the sovereignty of a nuclear-armed state was violated by “dogs trained by the Yankees,” their “masters” should be blamed. North Korea’s military previously announced plans to sever roads and railways linked to South Korea and strengthen defenses along its side of the border.

North Korea Threatens to Destroy Roads: Over the weekend, North Korea issued a warning of a potential “horrible disaster” if South Korean drones were again detected over Pyongyang. On Sunday, it announced that eight fully armed artillery units were on standby at the border, ready to open fire. South Korea’s military has refrained from addressing the drone allegations, explaining that doing so would play into North Korea’s strategy of creating pretexts for provocations. South Korea has been working to improve its anti-drone defenses since 2022, when five North Korean drones entered its airspace and flew over Seoul for several hours, according to military spokesperson Lee.

Lee Kyoung-haing, a military drone expert from Jungwon University, noted that civilians in South Korea could easily obtain drones capable of flying the 300-kilometer (186-mile) round trip to Pyongyang, particularly with light payloads like leaflets. However, other experts suggest that even if civilians launched drones from the South, it would be difficult to do so without government approval or undetected by authorities.

On Sunday, North Korea’s defense ministry claimed the drones spotted over Pyongyang earlier this month required a special launcher or runway, making it unlikely that a civilian group was responsible. The two Koreas remain technically at war, as their 1950-53 conflict ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

The remaining cross-border links are remnants of past efforts to ease tensions, including a 2018 summit where the leaders pledged an era of peace and declared an end to war. However, North Korea has since reintroduced heavy weapons into the Demilitarized Zone and reinstated guard posts, disregarding the 2018 military agreement aimed at reducing hostilities.

North Korea Threatens to Destroy Roads: North Korea is preparing to demolish roads that connect to South Korea across the heavily fortified border, according to Seoul on Monday, amid escalating tensions over accusations from the North that South Korea has been sending drones over Pyongyang. South Korean military officials reported that North Korean troops were seen working under camouflage on roads along the western and eastern border, likely preparing them for demolition as early as Monday. Last week, North Korea’s military announced plans to sever all road and railway links to South Korea and strengthen defenses in those areas, as reported by state media KCNA.

Separately, on Friday, North Korea accused South Korea of deploying drones to drop a large number of anti-regime leaflets over Pyongyang, calling it a political and military provocation that could lead to armed conflict. When questioned on Monday about the drone accusations, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman, Lee Sung-jun, declined to comment, stating that engaging with the allegations would only serve Pyongyang’s tactic of creating excuses for provocations.

North Korea issued further warnings over the weekend, threatening a “horrible disaster” if South Korean drones were again detected over Pyongyang. On Sunday, it revealed that eight fully armed artillery units were on standby near the border, ready to fire. South Korea, meanwhile, has been enhancing its anti-drone defense systems since 2022, when five North Korean drones entered its airspace and flew over Seoul for several hours.

North Korea Threatens to Destroy Roads: Drone expert Lee Kyoung-haing of Jungwon University noted that South Korean civilians could easily acquire drones capable of making the 300-kilometer (186-mile) round trip to Pyongyang, carrying lightweight payloads such as leaflets. However, some experts argue that such drone operations would be difficult without government approval or may have gone undetected by authorities.

On Sunday, North Korea’s defense ministry claimed that the drones detected earlier in the month over Pyongyang were of a type requiring special launch equipment or a runway, making it unlikely that a civilian group was responsible. The two Koreas remain technically at war, as the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

The cross-border connections that remain today are remnants of previous reconciliation efforts, including a 2018 summit where both sides declared an end to hostilities and the start of a new era of peace. However, North Korea has since reintroduced heavy weapons and reinstated guard posts in the Demilitarized Zone, after declaring the 2018 military agreement to ease tensions null and void.