▁first ▁time ▁such ▁strong ▁border ▁f ences ▁are ▁being ▁ere cted ▁here . ▁Looks ▁like ▁it ▁is ▁related ▁to ▁the ▁un stable ▁situation ▁in ▁North ▁Korea ." ▁The ▁resident ▁also ▁added ▁that ▁previously ▁" any body ▁could ▁cross ▁if ▁they ▁really ▁wanted " ▁as ▁the ▁f ence ▁had ▁only ▁been ▁ ▁with ▁no ▁bar bed ▁wire . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁journalist ▁who ▁visited ▁D and ong ▁reported ▁a ▁low ▁level ▁of ▁security . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁f encing ▁was ▁reported ▁as ▁the ▁exception ▁rather ▁than ▁the ▁rule . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁a ▁photo j ournal ist ▁who ▁tra ve led ▁along ▁the ▁Chinese ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁border ▁commented ▁that ▁f encing ▁was ▁rare ▁and ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁be ▁easy ▁to ▁cross ▁the ▁Am n ok ▁river ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁fro zen . ▁The ▁same ▁report ▁noted ▁friendly ▁contact ▁between ▁people ▁on ▁opposite ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁border . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁a ▁photo j ournal ist ▁drove ▁along ▁the ▁border ▁and ▁described ▁it ▁as ▁" mile ▁after ▁mile ▁of ▁nothing , ▁guard ed ▁by ▁no - one ". ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁a ▁single ▁ro gue ▁North ▁Korean ▁soldier ▁killed ▁four ▁eth nic ▁Korean ▁citizens ▁of ▁China ▁who ▁lived ▁along ▁the ▁border ▁of ▁China ▁with ▁North ▁Korea . ▁ ▁Rum ours ▁of ▁Chinese ▁tro op ▁mobil izations ▁on ▁the ▁border ▁frequently ▁circul ate ▁in ▁times ▁of ▁height ened ▁t ension ▁on ▁the ▁Korean