North Korea, under the direction of leader Kim Jong Un, has reportedly demolished a significant monument in Pyongyang that symbolised the aspiration for reconciliation with South Korea.
Satellite imagery on Tuesday indicated the absence of the monument, informally known as the Arch of Reunification, according to NK News.
This comes after Kim Jong Un labelled South Korea a "primary foe" and expressed the view that unification was no longer achievable during a speech at the Supreme People's Assembly on January 15.
While the exact confirmation of the Arch of Reunification's demolition remains unverified by Reuters, the monument, completed after a landmark inter-Korea summit in 2000, has apparently been removed. Kim Jong Un referred to the monument as an "eyesore" during his speech, where he also ordered an amendment to the constitution designating the South as a "primary foe and invariable principal enemy."
Tensions on the Korean peninsula have heightened due to increased military activities by South Korea and the U.S. in response to North Korea's weapons testing.
The monument, officially known as the Monument to the Three Charters for National Reunification, symbolised the three charters of self-reliance, peace, and national cooperation, as per South Korean government records. Standing at 30 metres tall, its removal reflects the escalating hostilities and Kim's changing stance on Korean reunification.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who assumed office in 2022, has adopted a firm approach toward North Korea, advocating for immediate and robust responses to the North's military actions. In response to perceived threats, North Korea has issued warnings of wiping out the South if attacked by South Korean and U.S. forces.
Late last year, North Korea declared a key agreement signed with the South in 2018, aimed at de-escalating military tensions, was no longer valid.
In the aftermath of Kim's recent speech, North Korea's assembly disbanded crucial government agencies integral to decades of interactions with Seoul, signalling a shift in diplomatic relations between the two Koreas.