Whale Large Capital
  • Politics
  • World News
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Politics
  • World News
  • Business
  • Investing

Whale Large Capital

World News

North Korea blows up roads near border with South after warning it would completely cut ties

by October 15, 2024
October 15, 2024
North Korea blows up roads near border with South after warning it would completely cut ties

North Korea blew up parts of two major roads connected to the southern part of the peninsula on Tuesday, South Korean authorities said, after Pyongyang warned it would take steps to completely cut off its territory from the South.

Parts of the Gyeongui line on the West coast and Donghae line on the East coast, two major road and railway links connecting the North and South, were destroyed by explosives at around 12 p.m. Korean local time, according to Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

In practical terms, the destruction of the travel routes makes little difference – the two Koreas remain divided by one of the world’s most heavily fortified borders and the roads were not in use for years. But its symbolism comes at a time of particularly fiery rhetoric between the two Korean leaders.

Video shared by the South Korean Defense Ministry showed several explosions on roads on the north side of the military demarcation line that separates two Koreas. Heavy machinery including trucks and excavators were then deployed to at least one of the roads, which was partially blocked by a black barrier, according to the video. The JCS said the North was conducting “additional works with heavy machinery” at the scene, but didn’t specify further.

In response to the explosions, the South Korean military fired artillery within the area south of the military demarcation line and is closely monitoring the North Korean military’s movements, maintaining “fully readiness posture under cooperation with the US,” the JCS said.

Video released by South Korea’s Defense Ministry shows explosions along roads on the north side of the military demarcation line that separates the two Koreas.South Korea’s Defense Ministry

On Monday, South Korea said it had detected signs that North Korea was preparing to demolish roads that connect the two countries, warning that the explosions could occur imminently. Its military had implemented countermeasures, the Defense Ministry said, but did not provide specifics.

A spokesman for the JCS, Lee Sung-joon, said the South Korean military detected people working behind barriers installed on the roads on the North’s side of the border.

The blasts come a few days after North Korea accused South Korea of flying propaganda-filled drones over its capital Pyongyang and threatened “retaliation,” in the latest tit-for-tat exchange following months of Pyongyang sending trash-laden balloons to the South.

Last week, North Korea’s army warned that it would take the “substantial military step” of completely cutting off its territory from South Korea, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un scrapped a longstanding policy of seeking peaceful reunification with the South earlier this year.

North and South Korea have been separated since the Korean War ended in 1953 with an armistice agreement. The two sides are still technically at war, but both governments had long sought the goal of one day reunifying.

In January, Kim said North Korea would no longer seek reconciliation and reunification with South Korea, calling inter-Korean relations “a relationship between two hostile countries and two belligerents at war,” KCNA reported at the time.

An ‘acute military situation’

In a statement carried by state-run news agency KCNA on October 9, the general staff of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) declared that remaining roads and railways connected to the South would be completely cut, blocking access along the border.

“The acute military situation prevailing on the Korean peninsula requires the armed forces of the DPRK to take a more resolute and stronger measure in order to more creditably defend the national security,” he said in the KCNA notice that referred to North Korea by the initials of its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The general staff said the measures were a response to recent “war exercises” held in South Korea and visits by what it claims were US strategic nuclear assets in the region. Over the past year, a US aircraft carrier, amphibious assault ships, long-range bombers and submarines have visited South Korea, drawing angry rebukes from Pyongyang.

Since January, Pyongyang has fortified its border defenses, laying land mines, building anti-tank traps and removing railway infrastructure, according to the South Korean military.

The North and South Korean leaders have also ramped up the use of fiery rhetoric.

Earlier this month, Kim threatened to use nuclear weapons to destroy South Korea if attacked, after South Korea’s president warned that if the North used nuclear weapons it would “face the end of its regime.”

The comments came as North Korea appears to have intensified its nuclear production efforts and strengthened ties with Russia, deepening widespread concern in the West over the isolated nation’s direction.

Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, suggests North Korea’s move to cut its territory off from the South could be a way for Kim to “shift blame for its economic failures and legitimize its costly buildup of missiles and nuclear weapons” by exaggerating external threats.

“Kim Jong Un wants domestic and international audiences to believe he is acting out of military strength, but he may actually be motivated by political weakness,” he said. “North Korea’s threats, both real and rhetorical, reflect the regime survival strategy of a hereditary dictatorship.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com
0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
A record number of Chinese warplanes flew close to Taiwan during military drills
next post
As a cautious Kamala loses momentum, Democrats are panicking over a Trump win

You may also like

Saudi executions rose sharply in 2024

December 25, 2024

Dominican Republic deported more than 276,000 Haitians in...

January 3, 2025

Europe heaps harsh sanctions on Russia, saying ‘strength...

June 10, 2025

French synagogue targeted in purported arson attack

August 24, 2024

Lesbian mothers win legal status in Italy IVF...

May 22, 2025

Japan is bracing for a once-in-a-century earthquake. Does...

August 13, 2024

Chinese military says it’s launched joint army, naval...

April 1, 2025

Supporters of Bolivia’s ex-leader Morales clash with police...

May 17, 2025

Netanyahu says Israel’s operation may lead to regime...

June 16, 2025

At least four killed and many ‘kidnapped’ in...

July 10, 2025

    Subscribe today to receive exclusive access to all our retirement secrets and income strategies, including special financial news and updates from our experts. From time to time, our newsletters feature valuable insights and analysis on the latest financial trends. Don't miss out on these exclusive updates – join our subscription to stay informed!


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.



    Latest

    • Former FBI Director Robert Mueller has Parkinson’s disease: report

      September 1, 2025
    • Trump says he will require voter ID with executive order

      August 31, 2025
    • Trump nominees squeezed between ‘blue slips’ and blue obstruction

      August 31, 2025
    • Trump appointee exits US foreign aid agency after four-month sprint: ‘Mission accomplished’

      August 31, 2025
    • Sen. Bernie Sanders calls on RFK Jr. to resign following departure of CDC officials

      August 31, 2025
    • Israel eliminates Houthi prime minister in Yemen airstrike targeting senior government officials

      August 31, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (786)
    • Investing (661)
    • Politics (5,417)
    • World News (3,213)
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact us
    • About us

    Disclaimer: WhaleLargeCapital.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 WhaleLargeCapital.com | All Rights Reserved