PYONGYANG, June 9 (NNN-KCNA) — The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) will cut off all inter-Korean communication lines at noon today (Tuesday), it was reported this morning.
The relevant field on the DPRK side will “completely cut off and shut down the liaison line, between the authorities of the north and the south, which has been maintained through the north-south joint liaison office” starting from 12:00 (0300 GMT) on June 9, the report said.
Other communications will also be cut off, which includes the East and West Seas communication lines, between the military of the North and the South, the inter-Korean trial communication line and the hotline between the office building of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and South Korean presidential office, Chongwadae.
The development is apparent follow-up action of DPRK, after its top officials recently threatened to shut down the inter-Korean liaison office, or even withdraw from the military cooperation agreement signed in 2018, in protest at anti-DPRK propaganda leaflets, that defectors from the North fly across the border.
On Thursday, Kim Yo-jong, sister of Kim Jong Un, issued a statement threatening to close the liaison office, or even completely dismantle a now-shuttered joint industrial park, in the North’s border city of Kaesong, unless Seoul stops defector groups from sending leaflets into the North.
“The South Korean authorities connived with the hostile acts against the DPRK by the riff-raff, while trying to dodge heavy responsibility with nasty excuses. This has driven the inter-Korean relations into a catastrophe.”
It went on to say that “the disgusting riff-raff have committed hostile acts against the DPRK, by taking advantage of the South Korean authorities’ irresponsible stance and with their connivance.”
“We reached a conclusion that, there is no need to sit face to face with the South and there is no issue to discuss with them, as they have only aroused our dismay,” it added.– NNN-KCNA
