North Korea demolished the monument that symbolized the goal of reunification with South Korea

North Korea demolished an important monument in the capital Pyongyang which symbolized the goal of reconciliation with South Korea.

The demolition was done by order of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who last week called South Korea his country’s “main enemy”, ruling out any possibility of unification with South Korea.

Satellite images from Pyongyang showed today that the monument, an arch symbolizing hopes for Korean reunification that was erected after a landmark inter-Korean summit in 2000, is no longer there, NK News reported. of an online news outlet that follows events in North Korea.

Reuters could not independently confirm that the monument, also known as the Arch of Reunification, has been demolished.

Kim called the monument an “outrage” in a speech to the Supreme People’s Assembly on Jan. 15, when he ordered the Constitution be amended to label South Korea as the “primary, unchangeable and main enemy,” official media reported.

Also last week, Pyongyang moved to dismantle organizations working on future reunification with South Korea.

Tensions have escalated on the Korean peninsula after US and South Korean military forces stepped up military exercises in response to weapons tests by North Korea, which has said it is ready for a “nuclear war” with its enemies.

The arch, officially known as the Monument of the Three Points Statute for National Reunification, was 30 meters high and was a symbol of the three points – principles, which were self-reliance, peace and national cooperation, according to the South Korean government.

South Korean President Yun Suk-geol, who takes office in 2022, has taken a hard line against the Pyongyang regime, calling for immediate and tough responses to North Korea’s military actions.