North Korea had recently attacked and destroyed a joint liaison office that the two Koreas use for communication between each other. The move is the latest in a string of evidence that shows the deteriorating relationship between the two countries.
A sudden attack
The state media of the North announced that the four-story facility located in Kaesong was utterly destroyed with a "terrific explosion" at approximately 2:50 p.m. local time, as reported by CNN.
The blast created a cloud of black smoke that could be seen from the South Korean territory of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
The South Korean Unification Ministry said the communications facility had been closed off since the end of January after the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. It added that the personnel working at the building have not returned since that time.
The destruction of the facility built on North Korean soil and funded by the South Korean government is highly symbolic. The move might become a focal point in the status of the relationship between the two Koreas who agreed to "a new era of peace" less than three years ago.
North Korea announced that the attack is a result of retaliation against a group of defectors who spread anti-DPRK leaflets using balloons to a region north of the DMZ.
The Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) stated on Tuesday that the spread of the leaflets damaged North Korea's supreme leader's dignity. It added that the counterattack would show the world what severe punishment the country will deliver to South Korea and what it would do to "wipe the human scum off the earth."
Also Read: North and South Korean at Risk of Losing Reduced Military Tensions After Anti-DPRK Leaflets Spread
Dangerous threats
According to BBC, the sister of North Korea's supreme leader, Kim Yo-Jong, threatened to send their army to the DMZ. The military had announced that they are ready to deploy and fulfill their mission of fortifying the area.
The anti-DPRK leaflets have caused tensions between the two countries to rise since their initial spread.
On Tuesday, South Korean officials revealed they are working closely with the United States to monitor the moves the North Korean military makes.
The liaison office was reopened as part of an agreement between the two countries that ceased all hostile activities, including broadcasting and leaflet distribution. The fate of the facility was put into question when North Korea announced previously of its intention to cut all ties to South Korea.
On Tuesday, the KCNA also stated that the North would continue to re-militarize some regions of the DMZ.
A South Korean official had called the North's recent attack as a betrayal of those who hoped to improve the relationship between the two Koreas. The South Korean Defense Ministry announced it would carefully observe the North's actions and will respond accordingly to any military provocations.
The South Korean President, Moon Jae-In, said on Monday that it was crucial for North Korea to go back to the negotiating table instead of resorting to violence.
Moon added that the two Koreas must keep their positive perspectives and move towards peace and unification, no matter how long it may take.
The president also noted that the promise he made alongside Kim Jong-Un for a peaceful relationship in front of 80 million citizens could not be turned back.
