After Exploding Roads And Rails Near Borders, North Korea Calls South Korea An Enmity State

North Korea has blown up roads and railroad tracks near the border. (Source: KCNA)

JAKARTA - North Korea designated South Korea as a "hostile country", state media said on Thursday, confirming the national assembly had changed the constitution in accordance with their leader's pledge to revoke unification as a national goal.

North Korea's KCNA news agency reported that the military had blown up several roads and railroads with South Korea on Tuesday as legitimate action against hostile countries as defined by the constitution.

6040 meters of roads and railroads on North Korea's border side are now completely blocked, as part of a "phased separation of its territory" from South Korea, he said.

"This is an unavoidable and legitimate action taken in accordance with the requirements of the DPRK Constitution which clearly defines ROK as a hostile country," KCNA said, using North Korea's official names, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and South Korea, the Republic of Korea..

KCNA quoted a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense as saying North Korea would take further steps to "fortify a permanently closed southern border" but did not mention any other changes to the constitution ordered by leader Kim Jong-un.

Satellite imagery released by image company BlackSky and taken on Wednesday showed the road to the northern city of Kaesong badly damaged with large cuts on the sidewalks and surrounding areas.

South Korea "ravely condemns" changes to the constitution and characterization of hostile countries, and will not falter in its efforts towards peaceful reunification, the Unification Ministry said addressing relations with North Korea.

In January, Leader Kim called for constitutional amendments to abolish unification as a destination in his relations with South Korea, accusing Seoul of colluding with the United States of seeking the collapse of its communist regime and a clear definition of its territory.

Last week, North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly met for two days, where they are expected to change the constitution to officially designate South Korea as a separate country and a major enemy.

State media did not report the move, posing speculation as to whether a constitutional change had been postponed.

North Korea had previously announced a summary of the amendments after several days of delay, but it is not uncommon that only one of the major changes is expected to come to light, said North Korean University President Yang Moo-jin.

"As part of a constitutional change, North Korea is expected to redefine its territory in a manner contrary to the Northern Borderline which has been the de facto sea border since the end of the 1950-1953 Korean War," he said.

"Most likely they are aware of extreme sensitivity to the problem of the western coastal border line," he said, referring to the waters that have been the site of deadly clashes in the past.

Tensions between the two hostile countries have escalated since last year, with both sides declaring the agreement signed in 2018 to ease military tensions no longer in effect.

North Korea has sharply stepped up its hostile rhetoric in recent days, accusing South Korea of disrupting its airspace by flying a drone and vowing to retaliate.

The South Korean government refused to say whether it was the military or civilians flying the drone.