After North Korea threatens military action, they now blow up the liaison office on the border with South Korea. The triggers are South Korean activists.
- The liaison office on the border between North and South Korea should improve the relationship between the states
- Now North Korea has the office by a explosion destroyed
- The background to the conflict is a leaflet campaign by South Korean activists
Seoul - Only two years ago, South and North Korea opened the liaison office in the border town of Kaesong . As an active communication channel, it should serve to improve the relationship between the two countries and to reduce military tensions in the long term. But now North Korea has destroyed the liaison office.
Before the explosion, North Korea threatened military action against South Korea
According to a South Korean news agency, smoke rose after an explosion on Tuesday (June 16, 2020) above the industrial park in which the office is located. The Seoul Ministry of Unification subsequently said that North Korea "blew up the joint liaison office."
Border section between North and South Korea where the explosion is said to have taken place
© Screenshot Google Maps
A few days earlier, Kim Yo Jong, the sister of ruler Kim Jong Un and director of the Ministry of Propaganda, threatened to take military action against South Korea. She also explicitly mentioned the liaison office: "A tragic scene of the completely collapsed, useless north-south liaison office will be shown shortly," she said on Saturday (13.06.2020).
North Korea: Military wants to move into demilitarized areas
The North Korean military also announced that the army has already considered an "action plan" to attack South Korea. According to this, the army wants to move back to demilitarized areas - it is not yet known exactly what that will be. According to South Korean media reports, they may be able to reinstate posts at the common border.
The background to the conflict between North and South Korea is a leaflet action
Relations between South and North Korea came to a standstill last year after the North Korean summit with the United States failed. However, tensions between the two countries increased above all after an action by South Korean activists: They sent half a million leaflets with balloons across the border, on which Kim Jong Un was described as a human rights abuser and criticized for his nuclear policy. Since the government in Seoul did not prevent the activists from taking action, North Korea is now retaliating itself. In addition to destroying the liaison office, the army now also wants to launch a leaflet campaign against South Korea.
By Teresa Toth
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Rubric list picture: © picture alliance / - / YONHAP / EPA / dpa
