The South Korean army fired multiple warning shots when North Korean soldiers were seen crossing the military demarcation line near the border.
According to Ziare around 20-30 North Korean soldiers breached the line by approximately 20 meters into the demilitarized zone (DMZ) on Tuesday morning before quickly retreating north after South Korean troops fired warning shots.
Unmanned Activities and Landmine Incidents
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) believes the incursion was not intentional, reported Yonhap News Agency. In another border area, several North Korean soldiers were injured or killed by landmine explosions in the DMZ, a JCS official confirmed.
The North Korean army has been conducting various activities along the demarcation line, including deploying soldiers and planting landmines, the JCS official added.
Such actions appear to be part of efforts to strengthen border control and prevent North Korean defections to the South.
The South Korean army closely monitors North Korean military activities along the front line and collaborates with the United Nations Command, the official from Seoul stated. The incident with landmines, which left multiple North Korean soldiers either injured or dead, involved troops working to place additional mines along the border.
Rising Tensions Amid Putin's Visit to Pyongyang
These incidents occur amidst heightened tensions between Pyongyang and Seoul. North Korea has recently sent over 1,000 balloons filled with trash into the South, prompting South Korean activists to respond with balloons containing anti-North Korean leaflets, K-pop music, and TV show USB sticks.
Additionally, South Korea has suspended a 2018 agreement aimed at reducing cross-border tensions and resumed broadcasting pop music and propaganda via loudspeakers along the border.
Meanwhile, North Korea has deployed hundreds of troops to lay mines, build walls, and reinforce roads in recent weeks, as reported by Yonhap.
This escalation coincides with Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea, his first in 24 years, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
