The North Korean army announced today that it plans to cut off all North Korean road and rail links with South Korea, DPA reported, citing the North Korean news agency KCTA, as quoted by BTA.
North Korea's General Staff announced that "strong defense structures" would be deployed along the border, with the measures taking effect immediately.
According to Pyongyang, these actions are aimed at ensuring national security and preventing a possible war.
The North Korean military has sent a phone message "to US forces" at 09:45 local time to prevent misunderstandings or "unintended conflict" during the strengthening process, notes KCTA.
The South Korean military reports that North Korea has placed tens of thousands of mines along the border in recent months.
The closure of road and rail links by Pyongyang is seen as largely symbolic, as there has been no direct exchange across the heavily militarized border between the two Koreas for the past few years, DPA points out.