North Korea has warned that “war may break out any moment” after South Korea allegedly flew drones into Pyongyang – and it retaliated by destroying roads linking the countries.
The stark warning came after the country’s foreign ministry claimed that South Korean drones carrying propaganda leaflets critical of leader Kim Jong-un had flown over the North Korean capital Pyongyang three times. They claimed that the drones carrying leaflets filled with “inflammatory rumours and rubbish” were flown over the city on October 3, 9 and 10.
The North then blew up sections of road that, while not in use, are seen as symbolic of efforts to improve ties and, eventually, reunite the peninsula.
“North Korea has detonated parts of the Gyeongui and Donghae roads north of the military demarcation line,” the South Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff said, adding that the South had boosted its military readiness in response.
North Korea says its military is on standby to unleash “firepower” with the North Korean defence ministry warning on Monday that “war may break out any moment” on the Korean peninsula. North Korean army chiefs added that South Korea “might turn into piles of ashes” for launching the drone “attack”.
The South Korean defence minister initially denied the claim but the Joint Chiefs of Staff have now said they “cannot confirm whether the North Korean allegations are true or not”.
The Associated Press reported that South Korea warned it would punish North Korea if the people of South Korea were threatened. This is the first time North Korea has accused its rival of flying drones to drop propaganda leaflets into the country but the two sides have frequently accused each other of flying balloons filled with trash and leaflets into each other’s territory.
North Korea has previously issued fiery rhetoric when tensions between South Korea and the US become elevated.
Relations between North and South Korea have been tense since 2019 when a US-led diplomacy to end North Korea’s nuclear program disintegrated.
Since then, North Korea has pushed to expand its nuclear arsenal. It has also repeatedly threatened to attack South Korea and the US with nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, it’s been reported that several thousand North Korean soldiers are undergoing intense military training inside Russia, according to the Institute of the Study of War (ISW).
The think tank said that North Koreans will be deployed to the Ukrainian frontline “by the end of 2024”.
The deployment of a huge foreign military could be a significant boost to the Russian offensive in Ukraine next year.