On Tuesday, South Korea’s Ministry of Unification released footage of transmission towers collapsing in North Korea’s Kaesong Industrial Complex. South Korea originally built these towers to supply electricity to the complex.
According to the video released by the Ministry of Unification, four out of 15 transmission towers owned by the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) in the North Korean area fell sequentially.
Since late November, following the North Korean military’s efforts to remove transmission lines, some transmission towers with weakened bases have been unable to maintain balance and have collapsed. The footage was recorded on November 30 by South Korean military monitoring equipment.
A government official stated, “Among the transmission towers in the North, Tower 34, which is closest to the South, remains standing, while Tower 35 is bent at the top, and Towers 36 through 38 have fallen. Towers 34 through 39 have had their wires removed, while the remaining towers still have wires attached.”
The footage also captured a North Korean soldier falling while working atop a transmission tower. A Ministry of Unification official remarked, “This vividly highlights the poor human rights conditions of North Korean workers, who are forced to work under unsafe conditions without minimal safety measures.”
KEPCO constructed the transmission towers between April 2006 and October 2007 for $3.12 million. Analysts suggest that North Korea’s removal of the transmission lines is part of its broader efforts to sever inter-Korean connections following its demolition of roads and railways along the Gyeongui and Donghae lines on November 15.
The South Korean government is reviewing measures to demand repayment for the 4.19 billion won ($133 million) loan provided in kind for inter-Korean projects, including the construction of railway and road connections along the Gyeongui and Donghae lines.
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