North Korea said Sunday that its front-line army units were ready to attack South Korea, and also said South Korea had flown drones to drop pamphlets over Pyongyang.
South Korea has denied whether it sent the drones, but warned that North Korea would face harsh punishment if the safety of its citizens was threatened.
In a statement published by state media Sunday, North Korea’s Defense Ministry said the military had given preliminary operation orders to artillery and other army units near the South Korean border.
A ministry spokesperson said North Korea’s military has told allied units to prepare for an immediate attack if South Korea sends drones across the border, which could trigger a battle on the Korean Peninsula.
On Sunday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s sister called the South Korean Defense Ministry’s claims “suicidal” and said it would spell the end of his regime if North Korea harms South Korean civilians.
She warned Saturday that if a new South Korean drone was found it could “certainly bring a terrible disaster.”
North Korea often makes such evasive and impetuous statements at times when tensions rise between South Korea and the United States. Relations between the two Koreas have been tense since 2019, when U.S.-led diplomacy failed to end North Korea’s nuclear program.
Since then, North Korea has been trying to expand its nuclear arsenal and has repeatedly threatened to attack South Korea and the U.S. with its nuclear weapons. But experts say a full-scale attack by North Korea is impossible because its military is behind U.S. and South Korean forces.
In a related development, South Korea said Monday it had seen signs that North Korea was preparing to destroy parts of its territory along inter-Korean roads that are no longer in use, which coincides with Kim Jong Un’s effort to sever ties with the South.
The South’s military reported that preparations for the destruction were underway, including installing screens along roads.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at an all-time high, with North Korea conducting repeated provocative missile tests and South Korea and the U.S. stepping up their military drills. Observers say North Korea could conduct major weapons tests ahead of next month’s U.S. presidential election to solidify its position in American diplomacy.
