News brief

North Korea destroys symbol of cooperation with South. North Korea is demolishing a South Korea-built property that had been used to host reunions of families separated during the 1950-53 Korean War, the South’s government said on Feb. 13. The North has been eliminating symbols of engagement between the war-divided rivals. Relations between the Koreas are at their worst in years, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un continuing to flaunt his expanding nuclear weapons program and declaring to abandon long-standing goals of inter-Korean reconciliation. The 12-story building at the North’s scenic Diamond Mountain resort had been used for family reunions since 2009.