NKorea to suspend rail links with South

North Korea said it will suspend cross-border rail service, effectively closing the land border with the South, and expel South Korean personnel from an industrial complex just inside its border, starting next month.

North Korea on Monday said it will suspend cross-border rail service, effectively closing the land border with the South, and expel South Korean personnel from an industrial complex just inside its border, starting next month.

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A statement by the North Korean military, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, said it would also suspend all tours to its border city of Kaesong near the industrial site as well as halting rail traffic across the border starting Dec 1 in protest of Seoul's tough policy toward Pyongyang.

North Korea had warned two weeks ago that it would restrict overland passages across the inter-Korean border.

The statement reported by Yonhap news agency said on Monday's announcement is the "first step to cope with the prevailing grave situation".