According to North Korea’s state agency, KCNA, the country will sever all communication lines with South Korea. There traditionally existed inter-Korean communication line via which the two countries speak daily, apart from a separate hotline to the South Korean President. Both these lines will be cut this noon.
The decision, according to North sources, came after non-governmental organisations sent anti-North Korean material into the closed-off country.
However, the move is largely viewed against the backdrop of stalled negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang over North Korea’s nuclear programme and considered as gamble to pressure Washington over economic sanctions.
Experts warn there could be military escalation once the two sides stopped talking. Kim has been always sore that South Korea, despite pushing for closer ties, falls short of breaking international economic sanctions to relieve his country.
“All the people of the DPRK have been angered by the treacherous and cunning behaviour of the South Korean authorities with whom we still have lots of accounts to settle,” KCNA said in its latest report.
There are also many who view the whole exercise as stunt repeat where Kim creates a crisis and then steps back to win concessions from the international community.
