South Korea has fired warning shots after North Korean soldiers crossed the border earlier this week, escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
The South Korean military said the incursion occurred on Tuesday in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a heavily mined area separating the two Koreas. The North Korean soldiers reportedly returned to the northern side after warning shots were fired, according to a statement from Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.
North Korean state media described the incident as “deliberate and provocative”, citing General Ko Jong Chol, who said South Korean forces fired a machine gun and 10 rounds toward North Korean troops securing the border.
This latest confrontation follows a similar incident in early April, when South Korea fired warning shots after about ten North Korean soldiers crossed the border.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, the country’s new leader, has called for improved relations with North Korea and pledged to build “military trust”, but Pyongyang has signaled it has no interest in improving ties with Seoul.
Last October, North Korea announced a total closure of the southern border, warning U.S. forces to prevent misunderstandings or accidental conflicts. The North also detonated unused roads and railway tracks connecting the North to the South.
General Ko warned that any interference with North Korea’s border operations would be treated as a deliberate military provocation, and Pyongyang would respond accordingly.
