North Korea vows to block border with South Korea and boost front-line defense postures

Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea says it will permanently block its border with South Korea and boost its front-line defense posture to cope with “confrontational hysteria” by South Korean and U.S. forces, while not announcing an expected constitutional revision to designate South Korea its principal enemy and codify national borders. It’s unclear how the moves will affect ties with South Korea since cross-border travel and exchanges have been halted for years. North Korea’s military said it will “completely cut off roads and railways” linked to South Korea, according to state media. It cited what it called various war exercises in South Korea, the deployment of U.S. strategic assets and its rivals’ harsh rhetoric.