On October 10, North Korean soldiers were seen on watch at a lookout tower in the border city of Paju, near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea. This follows North Korea’s declaration on October 9 that it would “totally sever” transportation links, including roads and railways, to South Korea. In response, the South Korean military announced on October 14 that North Korea appears poised to detonate explosives to destroy key railway and road connections, including the Gyeongui Line and Donghae Line, as early as that day.
At a regular press briefing, a spokesperson for the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, Lee Seung-jun (phonetic spelling), stated, “The demolition operations could potentially take place today.” He also issued a stern warning: “If North Korea engages in provocative actions, South Korea will respond with strong self-defense measures.”
The Gyeongui Line connects the western border city of Paju in South Korea with Kaesong in North Korea, while the Donghae Line runs along the east coast linking the two Koreas.
Since North Korean leader Kim Jong-un introduced the concept of a “two-state theory” last year, North Korea has ramped up fortification efforts along the border. This has included laying landmines on the Gyeongui and Donghae lines in January, dismantling streetlights and deploying significant military forces in April, erecting suspected anti-tank barriers in the northern area of the Demilitarized Zone, and again laying landmines. In June and July, railways on the Donghae and Gyeongui lines were dismantled.
A report from the Korean Central News Agency quoted directives from North Korea’s General Staff on October 12, which indicated that frontline artillery units and those responsible for significant firepower should be prepared for a “full-scale firing readiness posture.”
