韩国工人开始撤离设于朝鲜境内的开城工业园区。此前，韩国因平壤最近进行核试验及试射火箭而对其实施新制裁。
首尔星期三宣布，将暂停在开城工业园区内的全部运作，以惩罚金正恩政府第4次进行核试验以及最近进行的远程导弹试射。
朝鲜官方通讯社朝中社报道说，平壤星期四对首尔的这一举措做出反应，宣布开城工业园区为军事控制区。朝鲜还说，将立即驱逐所有韩国公民，并冻结韩国公司在该园区的资产。平壤宣称，园区停工就是“宣战”。
平壤还表示，将切断南北之间两条至关重要的跨境通讯热线。
South Korean workers have begun their pullout from the Kaesong Industrial Complex in North Korea following new sanctions imposed on Pyongyang for its recent nuclear and rocket tests.
On Wednesday Seoul announced it would suspend all activities at the industrial zone to punish the Kim Jong Un government for its fourth nuclear test and latest long range missile launch.
Pyongyang reacted to Seoul’s announcement Thursday by declaring the industrial park a military control zone according the North’s official KCNA news agency. North Korea also said it would immediately deport all South Korean nationals, freeze the assets of companies operating there, and called the shut down a "declaration of war."
The North also said it was shutting down two crucial cross-border communications hotlines.
