‘North Korea doesn’t answer the phones’

The South Korean government reported that North Korea did not respond to regular calls made through the military hotline and cross-border liaison for 4 days.

“North Korea appears to have unilaterally severed the daily line of communication as it has not responded to routine calls since Friday,” South Korea’s Unification Ministry said in a statement.

The South Korean Defense Ministry also noted that two daily calls made through the military communication channel went unanswered for 4 consecutive days. Unification Ministry spokesman Koo Byoung-sam said: “While monitoring the situation, the government, on the one hand, is reviewing how to respond (to the North’s position). It won’t take long for us to take an official stance,” he said.

North Korea and South Korea communicate via the line twice a day, at 09:00 and 17:00. (AA)