North Korea plans to shut off all transportation to South Korea starting on Wednesday to “completely separate” the two countries. The military of the North has stated that it intends to block and cut off the southern border. The already high level of animosity between the two Koreas has reached new heights with this North and South Korea separation.
Proclaiming the move as a self-defensive measure for inhibiting war, the Korean People’s Army (KPA) referred to the regular deployment of American nuclear assets in the area and the continuing military drills in South Korea. The Korean People’s Army said a stronger reaction is essential to preserve national security given the Korean Peninsula’s military condition. Though this remark seems significant, it just expresses North Korea’s increasing hostility.
The North Korean government has been demolishing the roads and trains that link the country to the South over the last year. This disclosure reflects a more significant shift in Pyongyang’s attitude toward the South, which comes after a series of provocative incidents that have strained relations between the two nations. Missile tests and the detonation of several trash balloons over North Korea’s southern border are two examples of these events.
When North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said that his country would no longer seek reunification with the South, worries over a potential flare-up of hostilities on the Korean Peninsula were amplified at the beginning of 2023. Kim proposed amending the constitution at a recent Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) meeting to remove references to the northern half and peaceful reunification. This week’s SPA session raised expectations for constitutional revisions regarding border policy and unity, however, authorities opted not to make any such announcements. According to analysts, Pyongyang may postpone making a final decision on these issues until after the U.S. election.
