SEOUL (Reuters): North Korea blew up an office set up to foster better ties with South Korea in its border town of Kaesong on Tuesday after it threatened to take action if North Korean defectors went ahead with a campaign to send propaganda leaflets into the North.
North Korea's KCNA state news agency said the liaison office, which had been closed since January over fears of the novel coronavirus, was"tragically ruined with a terrific explosion".
Tension has been rising over recent days with North Korea threatening to cut ties with South Korea and retaliate over the propaganda leaflets, which carry messages critical of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, including on human rights. The first diplomatic mission of its kind, the inter-Korean liaison office was established in 2018 as part of a series of projects aimed at reducing tensions between the two Koreas.
When it was operating, South Koreans worked on the second floor and North Koreans on the fourth floor. The third floor held conference rooms for meetings between the two sides.South Korea's won weakened by about 0.7% against the dollar in offshore non-deliverable forward trade as reports emerged of the building being blown up after onshore spot trade finished.
"Our army will rapidly and thoroughly implement any decisions and orders of the party and government," the Korean People's Army said in a statement carried by KCNA.
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