[News Today] NK tells UNC in advance of barrier work

[LEAD]
North Korea sent a notice to the United Nations Command of new construction along the Demilitarized Zone, involving fences and barriers near the border. While the message wasn't sent directly to South Korea, Seoul is treating it as a meaningful signal.

[REPORT]
On June 25, North Korea sent a notice to the UN Command, which oversees the Demilitarized Zone.

It said that it will carry out construction as part of border reinforcement work in multiple areas inside the DMZ.

Lee Sung-jun / S. Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff
The North Korean military resumed work in the border area late last week.
At least 1,000 people are working every day.

Since April last year, the North has been installing concrete barriers along the Northern Limit Line in the DMZ.

Unlike last year when it mobilized 5,000 to 6,000 people for large-scale work.

This time, the scale of work is smaller but Pyongyang sent a notification in advance.

The government assessed this as a positive signal for now.

Jeon Ha-kyu / Spokesperson, Defense Ministry (June 30)
It is a bit difficult to predict its current intention now. But we analyze it as a meaningful message.

This can be interpreted as North Korea's response to a series of moves taken by the South Korean government, such as the suspension of loud-speaker broadcasts targeting the North and a request for civic groups to stop distributing anti-Pyongyang leaflets.

There are views that it is too early to assess this as a shift in the North's attitude, since Pyongyang had sent a notice of construction work in the same manner last October.

Choi Yong-hwan / Institution for Nat'l Security Strategy
It can be seen as a move to keep inter-state relations protocol.
The North followed procedures like notifications to the UNC.
Direct inter-Korean communication has not yet resumed.

North Korea continues to be unresponsive to the inter-Korean military communication line.