North Korea's border wall: Potential breach of Korean armistice

BBC has obtained satellite images of the border between North and South Korea. The area in the demilitarized zone has been cleared, which experts believe could signify a breach of the longstanding truce. What is Kim Jong Un preparing?

BBC analyzed new satellite images. North Korea appears to be constructing sections of what looks like a wall. This is happening in several locations near the border with South Korea.

It is unclear when the construction might have begun, but BBC notes that in images from November 2023, no new clearings were visible.

The buffer zone between the two countries is about 2.5 miles wide. It is divided into two parts so that each country can control its section. Theoretically, the countries are technically at war because they never signed a peace treaty. The Korean War ended in 1953 with only an armistice agreement.

At this point we can only speculate that North Korea is looking to strengthen its military presence and fortifications along the border, says BBC's Shreyas Reddy, a correspondent for the specialized news service NK News based in Seoul.

BBC requested security experts to assess the satellite images.

The shape of the walls suggests that they are not just tank barriers but are designed to divide the area, says Dr. Uk Yang, a military and defense expert at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul. In the 1990s, North Korea set up anti-tank walls to stop the advancement of tanks. Recently, the specialist adds that they are building walls about 6.5–10 feet high, which do not resemble anti-tank barriers at all.

These walls will allow for easy creation of observation posts, says Kil Joo Ban, a professor of international security at Korea University. North Korea can monitor military activities in South Korea and detect "defectors" trying to cross the border into South Korea.

Professor Victor Cha, senior vice president for Asia and Korea at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, says building structures in the demilitarized zone is unusual and could represent a breach of the armistice without prior consultation.

North Korea doesn’t really need more barriers to prevent a strike from the South but by erecting these border barriers, the North is signalling that it doesn’t seek reunification, says Dr. Ramon Pacheco Pardo, head of European and international studies at King's College London.

In 2024, Kim Jong Un declared that he rejected the idea of Korean reunification and called for South Korea to be labeled as an "enemy" country in the constitution.

He ordered the demolition of the Arch of Reunification in Pyongyang and other symbols reminding of their southern neighbor and expedited military preparations for a "war that could start at any moment." Institutions working towards reunification have also ceased operations in the country.

In recent days, North Korea has strengthened ties with Russia, and Vladimir Putin visited the country. The leaders of both nations assured that they would provide mutual assistance in the event of aggression against their territory. Experts expect provocations from North Korea towards the South.