North Korea confirms it blew up roads, railways to 'hostile' South Korea

This picture taken on October 15, 2024 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on October 17, 2024 shows an explosion as North Korea's army blows up roads and railways connecting to South Korea, at an unconfirmed location in North Korea. North Korea confirmed that it has blown up sections of roads and railways leading to South Korea, calling it a "hostile state", North Korean state media reported on October 16.
Photo by KCNA via KNS / AFP

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea confirmed that it has blown up sections of roads and railways leading to South Korea, calling it a "hostile state," North Korean state media reported Wednesday.

Confirming an account from the South Korean military, the Korean Central News Agency said the transport links "have been completely blocked through blasting."

Pyongyang's military last week vowed to permanently seal its southern border after spending months laying mines and building anti-tank barriers in the wake of leader Kim Jong Un declaring the South his country's "principal enemy".

The North also accused Seoul of using drones to drop anti-regime propaganda leaflets on the capital Pyongyang, with Kim convening a security meeting to direct a plan of "immediate military action" in response, state media reported Tuesday.

Referring to the destruction of the roads and railways, KCNA said "this is an inevitable and legitimate measure taken in keeping with the requirement of the DPRK Constitution which clearly defines the ROK as a hostile state."

North Korea recently amended its constitution and this was the first such mention of the charter formally declaring South Korea to be an enemy state, the Yonhap news agency said.

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