South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Tuesday that North Korea has taken “unprecedentedly strong” steps to sever ties with the South, including building layered fortifications along the border, while also calling for continued efforts to restore inter-Korean dialogue.

“Since 2024, North Korea has been taking unprecedentedly strong measures to sever ties between the two Koreas, including building what are essentially triple-layered fences and fortifications along the border,” Ahn said.

Ahn made the remarks at the 15th Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD), where he joined Czech Defense Minister Jaromir Zuna and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro for the