North Korea blows up parts of inter-Korean roads on its territory, South says, as tensions between the two keep rising

Seoul, South Korea —  In a symbolic display of anger, North Korea blew up the northern parts of inter-Korean roads no longer in use on Tuesday, South Korea said, after the rivals exchanged threats of destruction amid rising animosities over North Korea's claim that South Korea flew drones over its capital.

The roads' demolition is a display of North Korea's growing loathing of South Korea's conservative government as its leader, Kim Jong Un, has vowed to sever relations with South Korea and abandon the goal of achieving peaceful Korean unification.

Observers say it's still unlikely that Kim will launch preemptive, large-scale attacks on South Korea because that would certainly invite massive retaliation by the superior South Korea-U.S. force, which would pose a threat to his survival.