SEOUL: North Korea escalated tensions significantly on Tuesday by demolishing parts of roads that symbolized inter-Korean cooperation, branding South Korea as its “primary foe” and underscoring its hostile stance. The destruction of the Gyeongui and Donghae roads, located on the northern side of the inter-Korean border, was confirmed by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, who reported that the explosions occurred around noon, followed by further activities involving heavy equipment.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this aggressive act by North Korea follows recent threats from its military to sever all roads and railways linked to South Korea and to construct front-line defense structures. Experts interpret the road detonations as a symbolic gesture by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to eradicate the legacy of cooperation with South Korea under his policy framing the South as an adversarial state.
The South Korean unification ministry issued a strong condemnation of these actions, labeling them a “very abn
ormal” breach of inter-Korean agreements. The statement came after North Korea had previously severed the Gyeongui and Donghae railways in August, further deteriorating relations between the two countries.
In other news, the presidential office in South Korea denied allegations made by Myung Tae-kyun, a public opinion pollster involved in the 2021 presidential campaign, who claimed regular communication and meetings with President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee during the campaign period. Myung’s claims, which he discussed in media reports, have been flatly rejected by the presidential office.
Additionally, the Netflix series “Culinary Class Wars” has found unexpected success, resonating with viewers by highlighting the divide between established chefs and lesser-known competitors. The show’s concept, which initially raised concerns about promoting class division, was defended by co-producer Kim Eun-ji in Seoul, who shared insights into the series’ reception and thematic exploration.