North Korea blows up liaison office in escalation of hostilities with Seoul

North Korea has blown up the inter-Korean liaison office near the country’s border with South Korea, marking a sharp escalation in hostilities by Kim Jong Un towards Seoul.

South Korea’s defence ministry released footage of the facility being destroyed on Tuesday. A North Korean government statement carried by state media said the office was “completely destroyed” with a “terrific explosion”.

The office, which was established two years ago during a period of rapprochement, was located in the joint industrial complex of Kaesong, an area less than 10km from the demilitarised zone that divides the two countries. South Korean companies previously operated factories in the zone, employing labour from the North.

Read the full article and more in The Financial Times.