North Korea preparing to demolish inter-Korean roads, claims South Korea

Tensions are rising on the Korean peninsula as South Korea announced on Monday that it had detected North Korea 's preparations to destroy sections of inter-Korean roads , reported AP.

North Korea's military said that these actions were in response to South Korea using drones to drop propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang on three separate occasions this month.

South Korea's military indicated that North Korea appears to be setting up for explosions, but it is unclear how much of the roads will be affected.

North Korea also threatened to retaliate with military force if such incidents occur again.

North Korea’s Defence Ministry issued a stark warning on Sunday, stating that artillery and other military units near the border have been placed on high alert, with orders to be ready to open fire. The spokesperson cautioned that South Korea could face severe destruction, stating that its territory “might turn into piles of ashes” in the event of a powerful attack from the North.

South Korea has not confirmed whether it deployed drones but has stressed that it would respond strongly if the safety of its citizens is endangered.

Earlier, North Korea announced that it would end the transport communication lines between the two countries and fortify the border by constructing defensive structures along the front line. Kim Jong-un ruled nation believes these steps are necessary to counter "confrontational hysteria" from both South Korean and US forces.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have reached their highest level in years, with North Korea continuing its provocative weapons tests. Kim Jong-un has recently admitted that the use of nuclear weapons is not ruled out in a case of conflict with the US and South Korea.

Meanwhile, South Korea and the US have expanded their joint military drills .