Iran Press/ Asia: North Korea has announced that it will sever hotlines with South Korea as the first step towards shutting down all contact with Seoul, in retaliation for actions taken by defectors who have been sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border.
State news agency KCNA made the announcement on Tuesday as Seoul also confirmed that Pyongyang had refused to receive calls from its liaison office after making the threat, Yonhap news agency reported quoting South Korea's unification ministry.
"The liaison office attempted to call North Korea this morning, but the North did not answer," the unification ministry said on Tuesday.
Yonhap also quoted South Korea's defense ministry as saying North Korea also did not answer calls via military hotlines.
For several days, North Korea has lashed out at South Korea, threatening to close an inter-Korean liaison office and other projects if South Korea did not stop defectors from sending leaflets and other material into North Korea.
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