2024
On 15 January 2024, Kim Jong Un announced that peaceful reunification was no longer possible and proposed identifying South Korea as a hostile state in the North Korean constitution. It was also announced that North Korea would dissolve the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, the National Economic Cooperation Bureau and the Mount Kumgang International Tourism Administration. [10] The Arch of Reunification in Pyongyang was subsequently demolished in January 2024. [11] [12]
On 4 June 2024, South Korea's State Council suspended the 2018 Panmunjom Declaration due to border tensions over balloons sent by North Korea. [13] On 9 June 2024, South Korea announced to resume loudspeaker broadcasts of anti-North Korean propaganda after Pyongyang sent over 300 rubbish-filled balloons across the border. Seoul's military detected around 330 balloons since 8 June 2024, with about 80 found in South Korean territory. The president's office stated that the broadcasts aimed to deliver messages of hope to the North Korean military and citizens. This response followed weeks of activists in the South launching balloons carrying K-pop, dollar bills, and anti-Kim Jong Un propaganda, which had infuriated Pyongyang. The loudspeaker broadcasts resumed after South Korea suspended a 2018 tension-easing agreement, allowing for propaganda campaigns and potential military exercises near the border. [14]
South Korea announced it would deploy laser weapons in 2024 to shoot down North Korean drones, becoming the first country to do so. Developed with Hanwha Aerospace, these inexpensive and invisible lasers enhance defense capabilities by burning down drone engines within seconds. The move follows a December 2023 incident where North Korean drones entered South Korean airspace. [15]
On 26 August 2024, North Korea revealed a new "suicide drone," with Kim Jong Un overseeing tests, according to state media. These drones, possibly acquired from Russia and strongly resembling the ZALA Lancet, are capable of striking targets on land and sea, raising security concerns for South Korea. [16] [17]
On 13 October 2024, North Korea threatened South Korea with 'severe consequences' if drones entered Pyongyang's airspace again, following accusations of recent drone activity. Although South Korea's defense minister refuted these claims, the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated they couldn't fully verify the incidents. [18]
On 15 October 2024, North Korea destroyed the road connecting North and South Korea. South Korea predicts that North Korea intends to demonstrate a complete severance between the two Koreas. [19] However, given that South Korea provided $125 million to North Korea for the construction of this road, South Korea is considering demanding repayment from North Korea. [20]
On 24 October 2024, North Korean balloons carrying propaganda leaflets targeting South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon Hee were found in Seoul, amid rising tensions between the two Koreas. [21]
On 11 December 2024, North Korea released its first statements on the martial law declaration through an article published in the state newspaper Rodong Sinmun , describing it as an "insane act" that was "akin to the coup d'état of the decades-ago military dictatorship era". It also described the incident "revealed the weakness in South Korean society" and hinted at the end of Yoon's political career. The newspaper also published images of anti-Yoon protests in Seoul. [22] [23] [24]
2025
On 28 February 2025, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a strategic cruise missile test and ordered full nuclear readiness, state media reported. The test aimed to demonstrate the country's nuclear capabilities in response to perceived threats. While cruise missiles are not banned under U.N. resolutions, North Korea continues to face sanctions for its ballistic missile and nuclear programs. This test occurred as Kim emphasized military loyalty and training, continuing his hostile rhetoric toward South Korea and the U.S. despite past diplomatic engagements. [25]
North Korea continued to criticize the joint military drills between South Korea and the United States, particularly the "Freedom Shield" exercises that began on 10 March and ran until 20 March. [26] North Korea condemned these drills, viewing them as provocative and worsening tensions on the Korean Peninsula. In response, North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles on 10 March, with state media claiming that these exercises would deteriorate the situation. [27] [28]
North Korea also appeared close to completing its first airborne early warning aircraft, a significant military development that would enhance its surveillance capabilities. [29]
