North Korea has reportedly installed a screen around Panmungak, a facility located in the northern area of the Joint Security Area (JSA) in Panmunjom.

According to government sources on July 27, North Korea has blocked the building from external view by setting up a large screen around the Panmungak building since around April of this year.

South Korean military authorities believe the screen was installed to keep the renovation work on Panmungak hidden from the South Korean military.

North Korea has historically installed screens whenever conducting maintenance work on Panmungak.

Panmungak is a North Korean facility facing the South's Freedom House across the Military Demarcation Line, situated 80 meters north of Freedom House.

Built in 1969 as a two-story building, it was expanded into the current three-story structure through expansion work in 1994.

Panmungak is used for inter-Korean liaison duties, supporting high-level inter-Korean talks, and as offices for North Korean guards. The "pink phone," a direct telephone line between the United Nations Command and the North Korean military, is also installed in Panmungak.

(Photo: Yonhap News)