South Korea: South Korea’s military fired warning shots after several North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the border, marking the third such incident this month.
According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the incident happened on Thursday at approximately 11:00 a.m. (02:00 GMT), when North Korean soldiers breached the Military Demarcation Line that passes through the center of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
The JCS stated on Friday that “the North Korean soldiers retreated back northwards after our military’s warning broadcasts and warning shots.”
There were similar instances on June 9 and Tuesday. Seoul claimed that on both instances, the North Koreans swiftly withdrew after warning shots were fired.
nuclear-trained After South Korea canceled certain aspects of a 2018 military agreement in reaction to Pyongyang’s successful launch of its first military spy satellite, North Korea withdrew more troops and equipment to the border.
Seoul claims that they have been placing more landmines and extending tactical roadways, which have resulted in “casualties” from unintentional explosions.
During the incident, Pyongyang and Russian President Vladimir Putin inked a mutual defense deal that has alarmed Seoul, Tokyo, and Washington. This was Putin’s first visit to Pyongyang in 24 years.
Both US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Foreign Minister of South Korea Cho Tae-yul denounced the deal on Friday, calling it a grave danger to regional peace and stability.
To file an official protest over the agreement, which stipulates that if either country is invaded or declared to be at war, the other will supply military and other support “with all means” at its disposal and “without delay,” South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called Russian ambassador Georgy Zinoviev.
According to Zinoviev, he informed the minister that he would not put up with blackmail or threats directed against Russia because of its growing connections to North Korea.
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