North Korea bombs railway highway. Scholar- Kim Jong-un has no intention of negotiating_1

On October 15, North Korea unexpectedly detonated sections of roads connecting the North and South, escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula. People in South Korea expressed their concerns regarding this sudden event.

North Korean authorities targeted parts of the Gyeongui and Donghae railway lines, with the South Korean military reporting that the explosives were set just 10 meters from the Korean Demilitarized Line (MDL) without prior notification. This act was seen as a clear violation of the armistice agreement, prompting a military response.

The South Korean Ministry of Unification condemned the demolition, highlighting that the railway connections and access roads had been significant cooperation projects following the inter-Korean summit in 2018. The South Korean government had provided materials and equipment worth approximately $132.9 million at North Korea’s request.

Ministry officials emphasized that North Korea remains obligated to repay this loan and must take full responsibility for the destruction.

Experts noted that while these communication routes had long been closed, the act of destruction sent a strong message that Kim Jong-un intends to avoid negotiations with the South. Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies, told AFP, “This is part of North Korea’s ongoing military measures related to the hostile two-nation system it often describes.”

Yang suggested that North Korea might be preparing to strengthen its border defenses further, viewing the road demolition as a preparatory step.

In 2020, North Korea destroyed the inter-Korean liaison office located just north of the border, built by South Korea and then abandoned, in retaliation for the South’s anti-Pyongyang leaflet campaigns. Last year, South Korea filed a lawsuit against North Korea, seeking approximately 45 billion won in damages for the destruction.

Back in 2018, at the onset of nuclear diplomacy with the United States, North Korea dismantled tunnels at its nuclear test site. In 2008, following negotiations with Washington and other countries aimed at dismantling its nuclear arsenal in exchange for aid, the regime demolished the cooling tower of a major nuclear facility.

Experts suggest Kim Jong-un’s strategy may involve diminishing South Korea’s voice in the regional nuclear standoff while seeking direct engagement with the U.S. He may also aim to reduce the cultural influence of South Korea and bolster the Kim family’s grip on domestic power.

Tensions heightened last week after North Korea accused South Korea of sending drones into Pyongyang, claiming they dropped “large amounts” of anti-North Korean leaflets. Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un’s powerful sister, warned Seoul that further incursions would result in “catastrophic consequences.”

A spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff declined to comment on whether the drones allegedly flown to Pyongyang were operated by the South Korean military or private citizens.