North Korea ordered its military units to fortify its border with South Korea after announcing on Oct. 17 that it had cut rail links between the two countries. The announcement, published in the state newspaper Rodong Sinmun, stated that North Korea had severed all transportation links, including roads and railways, along the Gyeongui and East Sea lines on Oct. 15.
According to a source in Kangwon province, the defense ministry directed the First and Fifth Corps on Oct. 18 to construct a fortified defense network along the demolished border sections. The ministry ordered a full mobilization of engineering units to lay mines and establish thorough defenses, setting a Dec. 1 deadline to avoid interference with the army’s regular winter training exercises.
The ministry’s directive repeatedly emphasized the term “southern border” rather than the previously used “frontline patrol line,” apparently aiming to establish the boundary as North Korea’s sovereign border rather than merely a dividing line between North and South. The source noted this semantic shift seemed intentional, designed to reinforce the concept of a permanent national boundary.
The order stressed that units must understand the strategic importance of these fortifications, emphasizing that the primary objective was to strengthen defenses against potential conflicts with “enemy states.” Engineering units began work immediately, with specialized personnel and equipment fully deployed. Supporting units were tasked with providing oil and supplies.
The ministry set strict deadlines and warned of possible inspections to ensure timely completion. Additionally, soldiers were to receive ideological training framing this operation as “the first battle to protect the southern border” and a crucial mission to defend national sovereignty and security interests.
The Daily NK works with a network of sources in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. For security reasons, their identities remain anonymous.
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