South Korea: South Korea’s military fired warning shots after about 20 North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the border over the weekend, according to officials.
The Demilitarized Zone, which divides the two nations, saw the crossing of North Korean forces on Sunday afternoon, according to a Tuesday statement from Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
It coincides with a recent spike in hostilities brought on by North Korea’s firing of balloons into the South carrying waste.
According to Colonel Lee Sung-jun, the area was heavily forested, making it difficult to see any roads or border markings, therefore the military did not believe the most recent breach to be purposeful.
“They headed north immediately after our military’s warning broadcasts and warning shots, and there were no unusual movements,” he stated on the breach of the border.
According to Yonhap news agency, which cited an unidentified JCS official, the troops seemed to have lost their way and were primarily carrying pick axes and other tools.
Although Pyongyang has challenged the maritime border, the South Korean military has fired warning shots at North Korean soldiers crossing the border in the past.
During the weekend, Pyongyang launched more balloons filled with sewage over the border, prompting South Korea to threaten to make “unbearable” noise toward North Korea for the first time since 2018.
The national security council in Seoul announced on Sunday that it will resume broadcasting propaganda against North Korea over loudspeakers.
Since May, three waves of sewage-filled balloons have been sent into the South. The balloons contain wastepaper, cigarette butts, manure, fabric scraps, and batteries.
According to North Korea, the operation was prompted by propaganda and leaflets that South Korean activists were delivering across the demilitarized zone.
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