North Korea Bans Border Crossing for 2nd Day

VOA News March 14

Gateways to North Korea are shut down at Inter-Korean Transit Office in Paju, South Korea, 14 Mar 2009

North Korea has barred border crossings with South Korea for a second straight day Saturday, stranding hundreds of people in the North.

Pyongyang banned border traffic on Friday, preventing more than 400 people who work at a joint industrial complex at Kaesong from returning South.

Seoul's Unification Ministry says five people were allowed to cross, including four foreigners and a bride-to-be.

Earlier this week, North Korea switched off military military phones to the South to protest annual military exercises being conducted jointly by the United States and South Korea.

North Korea routinely accuses the United States and South Korea of having aggressive intentions when they carry out the joint military drills.

The maneuvers include a U.S. aircraft carrier, 26,000 U.S. troops and more than 30,000 South Korean soldiers.

The drills are expected to conclude on March 20.