SEOUL: North Korea has been carrying out construction of walls and digging roads on its side of the demilitarised zone (DMZ)-divides both Koreas- along the border with South Korea.
Yonhap News reported on Saturday that these constructions include the building of walls and the construction of new roads within the 2-kilometer-wide area near the military demarcation line (MDL), though specific details such as the dimensions of the walls were not disclosed.
Tensions between the two Koreas have escalated, exemplified by a recent incident where South Korean troops fired warning shots in response to North Korean soldiers briefly crossing the MDL armed with tools. The purpose behind North Korea’s construction activities remains unclear.
The region remains highly militarized, with both countries maintaining substantial military forces and equipment near the border.
Recent provocations, such as North Korea sending balloons filled with trash into South Korean territory and subsequent retaliatory measures from Seoul, underscore the volatile nature of the situation.
Thousands of soldiers and most of their weaponry are stationed close to the border by the two Koreas.
Since the 1950–1953 Korean War concluded in an armistice rather than a peace treaty, the DMZ acted as a buffer zone between the two Koreas.
