Inter-Korean land road cut off completely...I think it's going to be a fortress.

[Anchor]
North Korea's bombing of the Gyeongui and East Sea lines completely blocked the land route between the South and the North.

Once symbolized as a path to peace and unification, the road is expected to be fortified as North Korea has announced.

Reporter Hong Sun-ki reports.

[Reporter]
The connection between the Gyeongui and East Sea lines roads and railways is a product of the 2000 inter-Korean summit.

At that time, President Kim Dae Jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il agreed to connect, and construction began in September 2002, but the pace was slow.

The inter-Korean relationship was strained due to the killing of a tourist at Mt. Geumgang and North Korea's nuclear test, but the construction began again in the last government and came to fruition.

[Kim Hyun-mi / Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (December 2018): The numerous costs and efforts spent on hostility and confrontation will be spent for common peace and prosperity....]

[Kim Yoon-hyuk / North Korea's Railway Minister at the time (last December 2018): It is impossible to realize the people's passionate desire for unification at any time if they falter while looking at others' faces.]

At the time of the construction, the South Korean government provided about 180 billion won in the form of loans in kind at the request of North Korea.

The government also emphasized its obligation to repay the money right after North Korea blew up the road.

[Koo Byung-sam / Unification Ministry spokesman: We confirm once again that the obligation to repay the loan is still in North Korea.]

Earlier, North Korea removed rails and sleeper on the East Sea Line in May and the Gyeongui Line in July.

As a result, all land routes between North and South Korea, which were considered symbols of peace and unification, were cut off.

There is a road leading to Arrowhead Hill, but vehicles cannot travel, so it is impossible to travel between the two Koreas by land unless they pass through Panmunjom.

North Korea is expected to proceed with the construction of fortifying the roads it blew up as it announced.

In a statement released for four consecutive days, Kim Yo-jong, vice chairman of the North's ruling Workers' Party, claimed that this time, the South's military has secured clear evidence that it is the main culprit behind the drone invasion.

Without saying what the evidence was, he threatened to pay a harsh price, signaling further provocations.

This is YTN Hong Seon-gi.

Reporter for filming
: Ko Min-cheol
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video: Seo Young-mi