North Korea 'to close border with south'
North Korea announces it will effectively seal its border with South Korea
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Monday, 24, Nov 2008 12:47
North Korea has said that it will effectively seal its border with South Korea, a couple of weeks ahead of high-level talks.
The north's KCNA news agency said the border closure was the "first step to cope with the prevailing grave situation in relations".
Tensions between the two nations have escalated since Lee Myung-bak became South Korea's president in February.
He immediately claimed that he would invest in the north on condition it moved to end its nuclear weapon development.
Two weeks ago Pyongyang warned it would "strictly restrict and cut off" border crossings by South Koreans from December.
The border closure could seriously affect the jointly-run Kaesong industrial estate in North Korea.
A cross-border rail service will now be suspended, in protest of what the north describes as "confrontational" policies of its neighbour.
Meetings to discuss North Korea's nuclear disarmament are set to resume on December 8th.