In a rare move, North Korea has informed the US-led United Nations Command (UNC) of its plan to construct new military fortifications inside the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), South Korea’s Defence Ministry confirmed on Monday. This marks the first such official notification in over six months.

According to reports, Pyongyang notified the UNC last Wednesday of its intention to resume the installation of barriers and barbed wire fences on its side of the inter-Korean border. While the UNC declined to comment on the communication, a South Korean Defence Ministry official verified the report.

Since April 2023, North Korea has been stepping up its military presence near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), laying landmines and installing anti-tank barriers. The moves follow Kim Jong-un’s 2023 declaration that North-South relations should be viewed as ties between hostile states.

In October last year, North Korea also cut off inter-Korean roads and rail links and began destroying cross-border infrastructure once built as symbols of peace and cooperation.

South Korea’s military reported that the North recently resumed such construction, deploying over 1,000 troops daily at six frontline locations — down from 4,000–5,000 at more than 10 sites in 2023.

“Our military is closely monitoring North Korean activity and will respond appropriately to any MDL violations,” said Col. Lee Sung-Jun, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The notification comes shortly after the inauguration of South Korea’s new Lee Jae Myung administration, which has pledged to improve relations with Pyongyang. Some analysts view the move as a tentative signal of willingness to engage in limited communication.

The UNC welcomed such notifications as “useful” in reducing the risk of miscalculations along the tense border.