Satellite images show North Korea dug large border trenches after demolishing road, rail links

SEOUL, South Korea -- Commercial outer images uncover that North Korea has carved astatine slightest 2 ample trenches crossed roads and obstruction lines connected its heavy equipped separator pinch South Korea since it blew up nan bluish sections of cross-border routes earlier this month.

Tensions betwixt nan Koreas are astatine their highest constituent successful years arsenic North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has many times showcased his expanding atomic weapons and rocket programs, while reportedly providing Russia pinch munitions and troops to support President Vladimir Putin’s warfare successful Ukraine. Kim has vowed to sever relations and wantonness nan long-standing extremity of reconciliation pinch South Korea, whose blimpish authorities has taken a difficult statement connected nan North's atomic ambitions.

Satellite images taken Wednesday by Planet Labs PBC showed a trench trim crossed a roadworthy and a obstruction statement moving done nan occidental portion of nan Demilitarized Zone betwixt nan Koreas.

Work connected nan trenches appears to person begun soon aft North Korea staged choreographed demolitions of a roadworthy adjacent Kaesong, a occidental North Korean separator city, and a mixed roadworthy and obstruction conception adjacent nan Koreas’ eastbound separator connected Oct. 15. In Planet Labs images examined by nan Associated Press, nan first motion of nan trenches appeared connected Oct. 17, aft unreality screen blocked nan position for nan 4 erstwhile days.

The occidental trench is 1.7 kilometers (1 mile) westbound of Dorasan Station, nan past position connected nan statement connected nan South Korean broadside that utilized to tally to a now-shuttered mill analyzable successful Kaesong. The factories, which symbolized a past era of rapprochement betwixt nan rivals, were jointly tally by nan Koreas until Seoul unopen it down successful 2016 complete a North Korean atomic test.

Some vehicles could beryllium seen astatine nan tract of nan trench, including what appeared to beryllium earth-moving equipment.

Similar activity was observed astatine a crossing betwixt nan 2 countries on nan Korean Peninsula’s eastbound coast. It slices crossed nan roadworthy conscionable earlier a North Korean separator gross successful nan DMZ.

Analysts astatine nan North-Korea focused website 38North, who first reported nan beingness of nan trenches, said nan activity began almost instantly aft North Korea blew up nan roads and obstruction sections.

The analysts estimated that nan occidental trench is astir 125 meters (410 feet) agelong and astir 7 meters (23 feet) wide, pinch ample piles of ungraded connected either broadside of it.

“The intent of nan trench and ungraded is unclear beyond it being immoderate type of blockade that is intended to sever nan proscription links. The mound could beryllium portion of nan barrier, aliases it could beryllium a impermanent merchandise of nan building work,” nan analysts wrote. They said respective trucks were still visible astatine nan site, indicating that activity is not yet complete.

They estimated nan trench astatine nan eastbound crossing is somewhat longer astatine 150 meters (492 feet) and has ungraded and onshore clearance only connected 1 side.

On Thursday, North Korea test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile for nan first clip successful almost a year, perchance taking different measurement successful building an arsenal that could viably frighten nan U.S. mainland. Kim observed nan launch, calling it “an due subject action” to show North Korea’s resoluteness to respond to its enemies’ moves that frighten nan North’s security, according to authorities media.

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Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell successful Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.