Seoul Reports Pyongyang is Readying to Destroy Roadways
According to Seoul's military, North Korea could potentially employ explosives to sabotage the roads linking it to South Korea as early as Monday. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The North Korean military has announced plans to sever connections with South Korea in retaliation for the ongoing joint military drills between the South and the US.
According to military officials in Seoul, Pyongyang appears poised to act on its threat to block the roads linking the two regions. The North Korean People’s Army declared last week its intention to “completely separate” the two territories and to “fortify the relevant areas of our side.” This move is a response to what it described as the “acute military situation” on the peninsula, specifically referencing the US-South Korea military exercises and the deployment of US nuclear-capable aircraft in the area.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in South Korea reported on Monday, citing Yonhap news agency, that “following an announcement by the KPA on Oct. 9, the North Korean military has been carrying out activities assumed to be linked to explosions on the roads along the Gyeongui and Donghae lines.” South Korean military spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-jun indicated during a briefing that they anticipate explosions could occur as early as Monday.
A limited number of roads and railways connect the two Koreas. Under former liberal President Moon Jae-in, who was in office during a period of improved relations, there was a mutual agreement in April 2018 to modernize these rail links. However, since the election of conservative President Yoon Suk-yeol in 2022, relations with Pyongyang have deteriorated.
Last year, Kim Jong-un initiated a significant policy change by categorizing the South as a hostile state instead of a temporarily occupied region of Korea. This redefinition implies that Pyongyang is no longer pursuing the unification of a nation that was split after the civil war in the 1950s and subsequent US-led intervention.
Recently, Pyongyang accused Seoul of intruding into its airspace with drones and cautioned that its military is ready to fire if similar incidents reoccur. Reports indicate that the drones allegedly released propaganda leaflets on three occasions this month, including one instance on Friday.
Seoul has remained silent on the allegations regarding the airdrops, which are believed to be in response to balloons carrying waste that have floated across the border from the North. For years, groups in South Korea have used similar airborne devices to disseminate propaganda and other materials, prompting a corresponding reaction from Pyongyang.
Debra A Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
According to military officials in Seoul, Pyongyang appears poised to act on its threat to block the roads linking the two regions. The North Korean People’s Army declared last week its intention to “completely separate” the two territories and to “fortify the relevant areas of our side.” This move is a response to what it described as the “acute military situation” on the peninsula, specifically referencing the US-South Korea military exercises and the deployment of US nuclear-capable aircraft in the area.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in South Korea reported on Monday, citing Yonhap news agency, that “following an announcement by the KPA on Oct. 9, the North Korean military has been carrying out activities assumed to be linked to explosions on the roads along the Gyeongui and Donghae lines.” South Korean military spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-jun indicated during a briefing that they anticipate explosions could occur as early as Monday.
A limited number of roads and railways connect the two Koreas. Under former liberal President Moon Jae-in, who was in office during a period of improved relations, there was a mutual agreement in April 2018 to modernize these rail links. However, since the election of conservative President Yoon Suk-yeol in 2022, relations with Pyongyang have deteriorated.
Last year, Kim Jong-un initiated a significant policy change by categorizing the South as a hostile state instead of a temporarily occupied region of Korea. This redefinition implies that Pyongyang is no longer pursuing the unification of a nation that was split after the civil war in the 1950s and subsequent US-led intervention.
Recently, Pyongyang accused Seoul of intruding into its airspace with drones and cautioned that its military is ready to fire if similar incidents reoccur. Reports indicate that the drones allegedly released propaganda leaflets on three occasions this month, including one instance on Friday.
Seoul has remained silent on the allegations regarding the airdrops, which are believed to be in response to balloons carrying waste that have floated across the border from the North. For years, groups in South Korea have used similar airborne devices to disseminate propaganda and other materials, prompting a corresponding reaction from Pyongyang.
Debra A Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
