SEOUL: North Korea is getting ready to blow up roads that cross the heavily militarised border with South Korea, Seoul said on Monday, amid an escalating war of words after the North accused its rival of sending drones over its capital Pyongyang.

North Korean troops were working under camouflage on the roads on their side of the border near the west and east coasts that are likely preparations to blow up the roads, possibly as early as on Monday, South Korea’s military spokesman said.

North Korea on Friday accused South Korea of sending drones to scatter a “huge number” of anti-North leaflets over Pyongyang, in what it called political and military provocation that could lead to armed conflict.

Lee Sung-jun, a spokesman for the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, declined on Monday to answer questions over whether the South Korean military or civilians flew the drones.

In another fiery statement targeting South Korea and the United States, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said on Monday that the South Korean military was “clearly” blamed for the drone intrusion, and Washington should also be accountable.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2024