N Korea - S Korea Relations Deteriorating Rapidly: 'Warlike' Posture

North Korea Assumes 'Warlike' Posture, Cuts Off All Contact With South

Tyler Durden

Virtually overnight, the thaw in inter-Korea relations apparently ended, and hostility reemerged, as the North Korean leadership announced plans to cut off all communications, including an emergency hotline, in retaliation against South Korea allowing defectors to send propaganda leaflets back across the border.

For several days, North Korea has lashed out at the South Korea over the defector leaflets, which have been a semi-permanent feature of inter-Korea relations, and have long angered Pyongyang.

Over the past few days, the North hreatened to close an inter-Korean liaison office and other projects if the South does not stop defectors from sending leaflets and other material into the North. Several leaders quoted in the North Korean press said the "work" toward the south should change into "one against an enemy."

Top government officials in North Korea, including leader Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, and Kim Yong Chol, vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, determined “that the work towards the South should thoroughly turn into the one against an enemy,” KCNA said.

Officials began cutting communication lines at noon Tuesday (about 7 hours ago).

As a first step, at noon on Tuesday, North Korea will close lines of communication at an inter-Korean liaison office, and hotlines between the two militaries and presidential offices, the report said.

On Tuesday morning, North Korean officials did not answer a routine daily call to the liaison office, nor calls on military hotlines, a South Korean defence ministry spokeswoman told a briefing.

The routine calls between South and North Korea should be maintained as they are basic means of communication, said the South’s unification ministry, responsible for inter-Korean affairs.

The ministry said it will continue to follow the agreed principles and strive for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.

On Monday morning, North Korea did not answer the liaison phone call for the first time since 2018, though it later answered an afternoon call.

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