South Korean troops fired warning shots on Tuesday to repel North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the heavily fortified land border for the second time this month, the South's military reported. The incursions were believed to be unintentional.
Approximately 20 to 30 North Korean soldiers crossed the military demarcation line in the Demilitarized Zone while conducting construction work. They retreated after South Korea broadcasted warnings and fired warning shots. No suspicious activity was observed after the soldiers withdrew.
The border area is dense with overgrown trees and plants, leading the South Korean military to believe that the North Korean soldiers may not have been aware of the exact border location. The South does not suspect any deliberate intent to cross into its territory, and the North did not return fire.
The recent incursion occurred amid escalating tensions between the two Koreas, who have engaged in psychological warfare and signaled a departure from their 2018 military agreement to reduce tensions.
South Korean troops also fired warning shots on June 11 when another group of North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the border. The latest incursion took place in a different area along the central front-line region.
The Demilitarized Zone, a heavily fortified border area, has witnessed past bloodshed and confrontations between the two Koreas. The military demarcation line within the DMZ spans 248 kilometers in length and 4 kilometers in width.
The zone is laden with an estimated 2 million mines and is guarded by barbed wire fences, tank traps, and combat troops on both sides, remnants of the 1950-53 Korean War that ended with an armistice.
South Korea's military has noted increased North Korean activity along the border, including the installation of anti-tank barriers, road reinforcement, and landmine planting. Despite mine explosions causing casualties among North Korean soldiers, the construction continues.
The construction, initiated around April, is believed to be aimed at impeding defections from North Korea to the South as Pyongyang seeks to tighten control over its populace.
The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, 'Our military is closely monitoring North Korean military activities in the front-line area while guarding against accidental situations.'
