South Korea confirmed that it fired warning shots earlier this week at North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the military demarcation line along the border. This event was characterized by North Korean state media as a “deliberate provocation,” with the North accusing South Korea of inciting “uncontrollable” tensions. The announcement of this incident coincided with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s departure for Tokyo and Washington.
The altercation unfolded against a backdrop of escalating tensions, as North Korea has been actively fortifying its border with South Korea since last year. The two countries are separated by the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), which is marked by a no-man’s land that lacks a secure fence and often sees increased infractions that heighten hostilities. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported that North Korean troops crossed the line around 15:00 local time on Tuesday, but then returned to their side shortly thereafter.
According to North Korean Army Lt Gen Ko Jong Chol, the South Korean military used a machine gun to fire over ten warning shots towards their soldiers. North Korean state media warned that such actions could lead to an uncontrollable situation along the border, which is heavily fortified by both sides.
Despite President Lee’s election victory in June, which included a promise to improve relations with North Korea, the latter has dismissed these overtures. The South Korean military had previously halted loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts directed at North Korea, a move intended to “restore trust” between the two nations. Such broadcasts have historically been viewed by North Korea as acts of aggression.
The separation of the two Koreas dates back to the Korean War, which concluded in 1953 without a formal peace treaty, leaving both sides technically still at war. In recent years, there has been a relative lull in direct military confrontations.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn85pvv13e8o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss