North Korea warns South Korea over border fortifications, threatens new countermeasures
By The South Asia Times
SEOUL - North Korea has warned South Korea against interfering with its border fortification work, threatening to deploy new countermeasures along the southern border and place anti-South Korean loudspeakers on standby within days.
Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and a senior official of the ruling Workers’ Party, issued the warning on Thursday, accusing the South Korean government of making what Pyongyang described as false claims about military provocation.
In a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim criticised the administration of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and urged Seoul officials to stop commenting on North Korea’s border security measures.
She said Pyongyang would continue its project to fortify the southern border within territory under its sovereignty, arguing that completing the work would reduce the risk of military conflict and resolve several security-related issues.
North Korea’s warning followed a response on Wednesday from a South Korean presidential office official responsible for defence policy, according to KCNA. Kim accused Seoul of shifting responsibility for a recent incident involving bloodshed and of interfering in Pyongyang’s border fortification activities.
Kim rejected South Korea’s alleged characterisation of the work as a provocation, describing North Korea’s actions as a response to the situation along the border.
She warned that any further actions by Seoul that Pyongyang considers a mistake could trigger severe consequences, saying North Korea’s new countermeasures would be placed on alert along the southern border.
Kim also said loudspeakers directed against South Korea could be ready within days, signalling the possible resumption of a tactic previously used by both countries during periods of heightened tensions.
The statement did not specify the nature of the new countermeasures or provide details about the incident that prompted the latest exchange.
Relations between the two Koreas have remained tense amid disputes over military activities, border security and propaganda. Thursday’s warning underscores the risk of further escalation as Pyongyang presses ahead with efforts to strengthen its border defences.
