Last week, South Korean troops fired warning shots after a group of North Korean soldiers crossed the land border between the two Koreas, prompting them to return to their side. Yonhap reported this, citing a source, according to UNN.
Details
According to a government source, several North Korean soldiers crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) on the eastern front line last week, prompting warning shots in accordance with the army's operational procedures.
The publication notes that these were the first warning shots fired by South Korean troops this year in response to a border crossing by North Korean forces. No violations of the MDL by North Korean troops had been reported earlier this year.
The soldiers are believed to have been patrolling the area when they crossed the MDL, which divides the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas—the legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War.
After the warning shots, the North Korean forces returned to their side, and no other unusual activity was detected.
Under the rules of engagement, South Korean troops issue warning messages if North Korean forces approach the border between the North and South (MDL), and then fire warning shots if they cross the border.
In recent years, brief crossings of the MDL border by North Korean forces have frequently been reported, as North Korea strengthens its side of the border after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared inter-Korean relations to be "two hostile" states at the end of 2023.
Last year, North Korean forces violated the MDL border 17 times.