North Korea Begins Dismantling 'Kaesong Industrial Complex Transmission Tower' Built by South Korea

Interpreted as Measures According to the "Theory of Two Hostile States"

Following North Korea's demolition of the Gyeongui Line and Donghae Line land routes, it has been identified that they are now attempting to dismantle the transmission towers built by the South to supply electricity to the Kaesong Industrial Complex. This is interpreted as an extension of efforts to sever connections between the two sides after the declaration of the 'two-state theory,' which states that the South and North are in a state of war.

According to military authorities on the 26th, multiple North Korean soldiers were observed climbing transmission towers around the Gyeongui Line from the 24th and cutting some transmission lines. A military official stated that the movements of the North Korean military are "analyzed as part of the work to dismantle the transmission towers."

Kaesong Industrial Complex Support Center damaged by the explosion of the power transmission tower leading to the Kaesong Industrial Complex and the inter-Korean joint liaison office. Yonhap News Agency

The official explained, "They cut the wires on the first transmission tower in North Korea that was connected to the South, and the cut wires were piled up under the transmission tower," adding that they are monitoring whether North Korea will proceed with dismantling the transmission towers.

The transmission towers, shaped like steel pylons, are built at intervals of several hundred meters from the North side of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), which North Korea demolished on the 15th of last month, to the Kaesong Industrial Complex. There are 48 steel towers on the transmission section from Munsan in the South to the North Korean Peace Substation, and a total of 15 towers on the North Korean side. These transmission facilities, constructed by Korea Electric Power Corporation, have supplied electricity to the Kaesong Industrial Complex since their connection in December 2006, but power supply was suspended following North Korea's fourth nuclear test in January 2016. Although power supply was partially resumed during a thaw in inter-Korean relations, it was cut off again in June 2020 when North Korea unilaterally blew up the inter-Korean joint liaison office.

The move to dismantle the transmission towers is seen as a follow-up measure to Chairman Kim Jong-un's declaration of the 'two-state theory.' In January this year, Chairman Kim defined inter-Korean relations as no longer between compatriots but as 'hostile two states' and 'in a state of war.' Since then, North Korean authorities removed streetlights on the Gyeongui and Donghae Line roads in March, removed railroad sleepers in May, and in October, even demolished the road connection section entirely.