We recently discussed an unusual trend on the Korean Peninsula where people have been risking crossing the border in both directions. This was somewhat more commonly seen during the previous Trump administration, when peace talks were taking place and there was even a movement toward internal reunification observed. Those days are clearly in the rearview mirror at this point, however. This week, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un announced that he had seen enough traffic crossing his border and he would be closing down all roads to and from the border in both directions. (BBC)

North Korea will sever road and railway access to South Korea from Wednesday in a bid to “completely separate” the two countries.

Its military said the North would “permanently shut off and block the southern border” and fortify areas on its side.

The Korean People’s Army (KPA) described the move as “a self-defensive measure for inhibiting war”, claiming it was in response to war exercises in South Korea and the frequent presence of American nuclear assets in the region.

It marks an escalation of hostility at a time when tensions between the Koreas are at their highest point in years.

As usual, Kim is blaming the "state of emergency" on American movements of troops and military assets. This, Kim claims, is required to enhance his country's own national security preparations. Kim also abandoned any talk of reunification, not that those efforts ever led to any significant, lasting changes.

Far more likely is the probability that Kim is following the lead of the Chinese Communist Party and Russia, now that North Korea is an official member in good standing of the new Axis of Evil. We've already seen increasingly aggressive moves by the North to isolate the South from its United States allies and Kim has been selling rockets and other armaments to Russia for use against the Ukrainians. The battle lines have been drawn.

Kim has further proposed changes to the North Korean constitution. He proposes removing language such as, ‘northern half’ and ‘independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity." He wants to close the border, shut down the roads entirely, and cease all traffic heading in either direction. 

So are there deeper implications to what we're observing on the border there today? Probably not to any significant degree. Kim has been working to keep those roads closed for years and he really only pays any attention to the wording of the constitution when it suits his purposes. Unless China weighs in seeking an even more aggressive posture than we've typically seen, this remains largely just business as usual.