North Korea says it will permanently block its border with South Korea and build front-line defense structures to cope with “confrontational hysteria” by South Korean and U.S. forces, while not announcing an expected constitutional revision to designate South Korea its principal enemy and codify nat

North Korea said Wednesday it will permanently block its border with South Korea and build front-line defense structures to cope with “confrontational hysteria” by South Korean and U.S. forces, while not announcing an expected constitutional revision to formally designate South Korea its principal enemy and codify new national borders.

While the moves were likely a pressure tactic, it’s unclear how they will affect ties with South Korea since cross-border travel and exchanges have been halted for years.

North Korea’s military said it will “completely cut off roads and railways” linked to South Korea and “fortify the relevant areas of our side with strong defense structures,” according to the North’s official Korean Central News Agency.

  • @EheranEnglish
    2•4 hours ago

    Mate, why are you selecting a timespan* like that? The Russian occupation started 1945, that’s when most fled. Something like 15 million fled to the West. Generally most wanted to get away from the Russians. A list of 16(!) defectors is rather irrelevant in this context.

    *Huh, I wonder why:

    By the 1950s, the GDR began to tighten its emigration laws and stigmatize Republikflucht in an attempt to curtail legal emigration, including requiring de-registration with East German authorities and permission to leave the country under threat of prison sentences up to three years. A propaganda booklet published by the GDR’s