On October 10, North Korean soldiers were seen stationed at a watchtower along the heavily fortified border with South Korea in Paju City. Following North Korea’s announcement on October 9 that it had “completely severed” all road and rail connections with South Korea, the South Korean military reported on October 14 that North Korea appears prepared to detonate explosives on the Gyeongui Line and Eastern Coastal Line, which link the two Koreas.
During a routine press briefing, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson, Lee Seong-jun, stated, “The demolition operations could take place as early as today.” He also issued a stern warning, saying, “If North Korea takes any provocative action, South Korea will respond decisively in self-defense.”
The Gyeongui Line connects the western border city of Paju in South Korea to Kaesong in North Korea, while the Eastern Coastal Line runs along the east coast.
Since North Korean leader Kim Jong-un proposed the “two Koreas theory” last year, North Korea has been undertaking “fortification projects” along the border. In January, they laid landmines along the Gyeongui and Eastern Coastal roads, while in April, they removed streetlights and mobilized a significant military presence, erecting barriers presumed to be anti-tank obstacles in the northern part of the Demilitarized Zone and again laying landmines. In June and July, they dismantled the rail tracks on both the Eastern Coastal Line and Gyeongui Line.
According to a report from the Korean Central News Agency on October 13, North Korea’s General Staff issued operational readiness instructions on October 12, ordering artillery units near the border, as well as other forces tasked with critical firepower missions, to maintain a “full shooting readiness posture.”
