North Korea tears down 'reunification' arch, sending message to Seoul

Satellite images show cranes where monument used to be, professor says

20240126N north korea unification monument KYODO

Tourists take photos of the Arch of Reunification in Pyongyang in 2018. © Kyodo

RYO NAMIKI and JUNNOSUKE KOBARA, Nikkei staff writers

January 27, 2024 07:10 JST

TOKYO/SEOUL -- North Korea signaled a harder line on South Korea in tearing down a monument symbolizing reunification efforts, days after leader Kim Jong Un said the idea was no longer a possibility.

Satellite imagery taken Tuesday by Airbus showed the arch in Pyongyang, which depicted two women holding a map of the Korean Peninsula, was no longer there. The monument had been seen as recently as Jan. 19.