The move, seen as a "physical severing" of ties with the South, was foreshadowed earlier this year by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
The two Koreas have long been connected by roads and railways along the Gyeongui Line, which links Paju in the South to Kaesong in the North, and the Donghae Line, which runs along the eastern coast of the peninsula.
"At approximately 12 p.m. local time, North Korea blew up sections of the Gyeongui and Donghae roads north of the military demarcation line," stated the JCS, adding that South Korean forces have heightened their combat readiness in response.
South Korean military forces responded to the North’s actions by firing warning shots, according to the Yonhap news agency.
The roads, which had been out of use for some time, were renovated following the 2000 inter-Korean summit during a period of warmer relations between Seoul and Pyongyang. However, tensions have significantly escalated in recent years.
On Monday, Seoul had warned that Pyongyang was preparing to destroy these critical transportation routes. The North Korean military formally announced the operation on October 9, with the General Staff of the Korean People's Army stating through the KCNA news agency that the North intended to "completely sever roads and railways" connecting the two countries and fortify the areas with "strong defensive positions."
Kim Jong-un had signaled the need for a "physical and complete" separation between North and South Korea to an "irreversible level" as early as January. The North Korean leader formally rejected any notion of reunification, labeling South Korea as an enemy—an alarming shift that many analysts believe has initiated a new, dangerous phase in inter-Korean relations.
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Source: PAP