North Korea has accused South Korean troops of opening fire at its soldiers near the border. In a statement issued on Saturday, Lieutenant General Ko Jong Chol of the North Korean army described the incident, which occurred last Tuesday, as a “deliberate provocation.” According to him, South Korean forces fired more than ten rounds from a machine gun toward North Korean troops stationed near the frontier.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) warned that such actions could dangerously escalate the situation along the southern border. It further cautioned that any continuation of such hostilities might lead to uncontrollable clashes, with large numbers of troops from both sides being drawn into direct conflict.
Meanwhile, South Korea has acknowledged the shooting but claimed it was a precautionary response. According to Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, several North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). In response, South Korean troops fired warning shots to drive them back.
This is not the first such confrontation in recent months. In April this year, North Korean soldiers similarly crossed the border, prompting South Korean forces to fire warning shots.
Sources: Al Jazeera, BBC.