SEOUL, South Korea. North Korea demolished sections of inter-Korean roads and rail lines near the heavily fortified border on Tuesday, escalating tensions between the two Koreas. The move prompted South Korea’s military to fire warning shots in response, marking another chapter in the ongoing hostilities on the peninsula.

The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) confirmed that parts of the road and rail lines on the North Korean side, previously linked to the South, were destroyed around midday. This comes after North Korea announced last week its plans to cut off these connections entirely, as part of its shift towards establishing a “two-state” system, scrapping the long-held goal of reunification.

Seoul’s unification ministry, responsible for managing cross-border relations, condemned the destruction as a clear violation of previous inter-Korean agreements. Ministry spokesperson Koo Byoung-sam called the action “highly abnormal,” adding, “It is deplorable that North Korea is repeatedly conducting such regressive behavior.”

The demolitions follow heightened tensions after North Korea accused Seoul of sending drones over Pyongyang last week. According to Pyongyang, the drones distributed a “huge number” of anti-North leaflets, prompting a sharp warning from Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. She stated on Tuesday that South Korea would “pay a dear price” for the alleged incursions. However, South Korea has neither confirmed nor denied the drone flights.

Ongoing clashes over balloon launches have also inflamed the strained relations between the two Koreas. Since May, North Korea has been sending balloons filled with trash in response to anti-regime leaflets floated by activists from the South.

Video Footage of the Demolition

Following Tuesday’s demolitions, the South Korean military released video footage showing an explosion and a plume of smoke rising from a destroyed section of the road on the North Korean side. The video also captured several dump trucks and earth-movers in the area, with North Korean military officials guiding the operation.

In retaliation, South Korea’s military fired warning shots along the military demarcation line. No damage was reported on the South’s side of the border, according to the JCS.

Historic Projects Destroyed

The inter-Korean roads and railways that were blown up were once symbols of reconciliation, built during a period of improved relations between the two Koreas, including a historic summit in 2018. According to South Korea’s unification ministry, Seoul invested more than $132 million into rebuilding the links through cheap loans to the North. “It was a major inter-Korean cooperation project that was carried out upon the request from the North,” said Koo Byoung-sam, noting that Pyongyang remains obligated to repay the loans.

This is not the first time North Korea has taken dramatic steps to sever ties with the South. In 2020, the North blew up a joint liaison office established in a border town after nuclear negotiations with the United States collapsed. In 2023, South Korea filed a lawsuit against the North, seeking damages of around 45 billion won ($33 million) for the destruction of the liaison office.

International Concerns and Local Reactions

China has also expressed concern over the latest developments. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning called for restraint during a press briefing, saying that Beijing hoped to “avoid further escalation of the conflict.”

Meanwhile, South Korea’s Gyeonggi Province, which borders the North, announced on Tuesday that it would deploy a special police force to crack down on the practice of sending anti-North Korea leaflets from its border areas. While some argue that the leaflet campaigns are an exercise of free speech, critics, along with certain lawmakers, believe that the police should intervene when such activities threaten safety.

With tensions continuing to rise and provocations from both sides increasing, the prospect of inter-Korean dialogue seems more distant than ever.