North Korea Builds Massive Barriers Along Severed East Sea Line—What Are They Planning?

North Korea is currently constructing barrier structures along the East Sea Line, a road that they previously severed from South Korea by detonating explosives.

Military sources announced on Thursday that North Korea has been clearing debris and compacting the ground since blowing up the East Sea and Gyeongui railway lines with explosives on October 15. Surveillance equipment recently detected new structures installed along the East Sea Line.

Construction began with setting up a structural framework, and concrete is anticipated to be poured soon to build the barrier walls.

This effort is seen as an extension of North Korea’s ongoing barrier construction in the northern region of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which has been underway since April. The barriers are believed to prevent tank movements and thwart defections by soldiers and civilians.

A military source noted, “There are currently no indications of structural installation work on the Gyeongui Line,” but suggested that North Korea might soon initiate similar activities there.

According to Voice of America, satellite images from U.S. private satellite company Planet Labs revealed pictures taken on Sunday. The photos showed a rectangular area on the road where North Korea had detonated, which appeared to be ground-leveling work for further construction.

On October 9, before the explosions on the East Sea and Gyeongui lines, North Korea announced through a statement from the General Staff, “We will completely sever the roads and railways in our area connected to South Korea and proceed with construction to fortify them with solid defensive structures.”