North Korea has announced plans to sever road and railway access to South Korea and fortify areas on its side of the border in response to war exercises held in South Korea and frequent visits by US strategic assets. The move, described as symbolic since cross-border travel and exchanges have already been halted, marks an escalation of conflict between the two countries. The Korean People’s Army stated that the measures are self-defensive and aimed at inhibiting war.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have been at their highest point in years, with North Korea conducting a series of weapons tests. The country recently tested a long-range artillery system, while also maintaining its silence on an expected revision of the constitution that would designate South Korea as an enemy state. The delay in announcing the constitutional changes has raised concerns about the potential for all-out war to return to the region.
While the country appointed a new defense minister, who had accompanied Kim Jong Un to talks with former US President Donald Trump, the expected constitutional amendments were not mentioned in the state news agency’s report. Some experts speculate that the constitutional revision may have been delayed due to sensitivity, while others believe it may have been quietly passed without announcement. This development adds to the uncertainty surrounding the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
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