North Korea bombs inter-Korean liaison office as tensions with South Korea intensify [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Tensions rise between rival South and North Korea as the latter demolishes the inter-Korean liaison office.
• North Korea allegedly destroyed the facility as a move against the propagandists in the border, which the South failed to stop.
• The Hermit nation has repeatedly pressured the South over its inability to convince the U.S to resume talks about its economic sanctions.

On Tuesday, North Korea said it tore down an inter-Korean communication office as the nation continued to inflict pressure in opposing South Korea amidst the delayed nuclear talks with U.S President Trump’s administration.

Korean Central News Agency,  Pyongyang’s official outlet, reported that North demolished the office as a response against people whom they call the country’s traitors who, for a long time, distributed anti-Pyongyang materials within the border.

The media agency did not elaborate on how the demolition of the office was made but described it was destroyed with an enormous explosion.

The Hermit nation was consistent in pressing South Korea whenever it’s unsuccessful in getting concessions from the United States.

In the last few weeks, the criticism rises from the North to the South over weakening mutual relations and its failure to eliminate militants and propagandists.

The explosion of the facility happened only a few hours after North’s armed forces warned it would return into demilitarized zones previously determined under the peace treaty signed by both countries.

Authorities now believe that the move could lead to security threats along the sea and land borders of South Korea.

Images acquired by Yonhap News Agency showed a cloud of smoke coming from what looked like a compound of structures. The outlet reported the spot was once a section of the now-closed industrial zone where the liaison office can be found.

North Korea had previously announced it would destroy the office as it intensifies its attack over Seoul’s inability to stop activists across the border. Some insiders commented Pyongyang is frustrated over Seoul’s failure in continuing joint economic developments because of sanctions by the U.S.

Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s prominent sister, cautioned Seoul that it would soon see the destruction of what she called a useless facility.

She also reportedly said she would allow their military forces to take the necessary steps in dealing with South Korea.

The opposing countries opened their liaison office in 2018 at Kaesong to improve their communication, which was supposed to be the first step toward better relations since 1945, the end of World War II.

When the office was opened, affairs between the rivals has prospered after North Korea entertained discussions on its nuclear weapons programs.

However, inter-Korean relations have started to crumble since the collapse of the second conference between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump during the 2019 summit in Vietnam.

The talks failed due to disagreements over how much sanctions should be lifted after Kim would destroy his main nuclear facility.

Kim then swore to grow his nuclear compound and eradicate sanctions led by the U.S. that suppresses his nation’s economy.

Source: AOL