Yonhap news agency reported that South Korean forces fired warning shots after North Korean troops broke through the heavily guarded military demarcation line close to the border on Tuesday, according to a report from the Yonhap news agency which cited information from the country’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.
“Today dozens of North Korean troops went south across its side of the MDL (Military Demarcation Line)… and drew back northward after warning shots,” said a source.
South Korea’s military says that as many as 20 to 30 North Korean soldiers temporarily infiltrated into its side of the border during construction work on Northern Korea when crossing over the Military Demarcation Line(MDL).
The event occurred about eight thirty in the morning and is now considered as a second instance where soldiers from DPRK have crossed land borders this month. South Koreans retaliated by sending alert messages and shooting into the air causing their counterparts from North Korea to scatter away. The southern army observed no further suspicious activities since then.
This incident follows another one that happened on June 11th when South Korean soldiers fired warning shots against some other group of North Koreans who briefly crossed MDL. Another area along central frontline region was where Tuesday’s incident took place. According to top brass, they did not intentionally cross over while it believes that north did not fire back
In recent weeks, there has been an uptick in construction by Pyongyang’s forces at key locations along its boundary with South Korea. These include road reinforcement, suspected anti-tank barriers, and laying landmines.
These latest incursions have come amidst escalating tensions between these two war-torn countries. In an unusual display of psychological Cold War-style warfare, both sides have made clear their indifference to a landmark 2018 military agreement meant to ease tensions between them.
