North Korea Pushes Fortification to the Edge of the Military Demarcation Line

North Korea is accelerating its so-called "fortification work," sealing off its southern border by installing barbed wire fences and planting landmines right up to the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), which separates the two Koreas.

It has been confirmed that the North Korean military has recently installed barbed wire fences across all fronts—western, central, and eastern—within 100 meters north of the MDL.

In some areas, the distance between the MDL and the fences is a mere 80 to 90 meters.

In particular, the "denudation work," which involves clearing grass and trees to plant landmines, has already been completed in areas just 5 to 10 meters from the MDL.

It is reported that there are even sections where the work has effectively encroached upon the demarcation line from the South's perspective.

With barbed wire now installed along approximately one-third of the entire MDL, North Korea is also constructing tactical roads behind the fences that allow for vehicle movement.

This is interpreted as an intention for North Korean border guards to use vehicles to reach the very edge of the demarcation line for surveillance activities.

As the operational radius of North Korean forces moves further south, the fatigue of South Korean troops tasked with vigilance is inevitably increasing to prepare for the possibility of accidental clashes.

Experts point out that North Korea aims to effectively push the existing demarcation line southward by establishing its own fences, while simultaneously turning the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)—where weapons are prohibited—into a de facto armed fortress.

In fact, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un personally instructed frontline commanders to "turn the southern border into an impregnable fortress."

Furthermore, it is known that North Korea has increased the number of personnel mobilized for these frontline operations to approximately 5,000, a fivefold increase from last year.

Initially, military authorities estimated that it would take more than four years to complete this work, but at the current pace, it is expected that the border-sealing measures will be finished within two to three years.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, "The North Korean military's installation of obstacles along the MDL is a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement," adding, "We will continue to respond in close cooperation with the United Nations Command."

They further added, "We are closely monitoring the movements of the North Korean military along the MDL and maintaining a firm readiness posture to respond overwhelmingly to any provocation."

Reported by Lee Hyeon-yeong | Video by Choi Gang-san | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.