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North Korea detonated the inter-Korean joint office building in Kaesong this afternoon (16th). North Korea, which used to take the North Korean fleet as a problem, defined South Korea as an enemy and raised the warning level, took action. The liaison office that opened in September of that year as a result of the inter-Korean summit in April two years ago disappeared without a trace in one year and nine months. Today's special 8 o'clock news will concentrate on this news from now on.

First, reporter Yoon Na-ra will tell you the appearance at the time of the explosion.

<Reporter> The

lights flash on the building of the inter-Korean joint office in Kaesong.

Immediately the building collapses and smoke comes out.

At 2:49 pm today, North Korea detonated the liaison office.

North Korea's Chosun Central TV officially confirmed the explosion of the liaison office about 4 hours later, at 4:50.

[North Korea Chosun Central TV: The North-South Joint Contact Office was completely destroyed on June 16th. The North-South Joint Contact Office was miserably destroyed along with the raging binge.]

Our military authorities also said the liaison office had disappeared without a trace and confirmed that the building had been completely destroyed.

In the western line near the Kaesong Industrial Complex, there were also heavy explosions and smoke.

[Wan Bae Lee/Unification Village Chief: Smoke was observed and an explosion was heard. I was nervous, so I told the residents to watch TV only.]

It has been three days since Kim Yeo-jung, the North Korean Labor Party's first vice-president, threatened to see the miserable sight of the liaison office collapsed, and it has been only eight hours since the North Korean Army's General Chief of Staff announced a military action this morning.

According to the Panmunjom Declaration of the North and South Leaders on April 27, 2018, the liaison office opened in September of the same year.

(Video coverage: Gongjin-gu · Seonghwan Hwan, video editing: Seungjin Lee, helicopter control: Min Byeong-ho)