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South Korea fires warning shots at North's troops crossing border | South Korea fires warning shots at North's troops crossing border |
(32 minutes later) | |
A North Korean soldier stands guard in the background at his post near the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) separating the two countries | |
South Korea has confirmed it fired warning shots earlier in the week at North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the heavily-fortified border between the two countries. | South Korea has confirmed it fired warning shots earlier in the week at North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the heavily-fortified border between the two countries. |
North Korean state media called the shots a "deliberate provocation" and Pyongyang has accused Seoul of risking "uncontrollable" tensions. | North Korean state media called the shots a "deliberate provocation" and Pyongyang has accused Seoul of risking "uncontrollable" tensions. |
The incident was made public as new South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed Seoul on Saturday for a visit to Tokyo and Washington. | The incident was made public as new South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed Seoul on Saturday for a visit to Tokyo and Washington. |
Pyongyang has upped the ante in recent weeks, with leader Kim Jong Un's sister rebuffing efforts towards reconciliation made by Lee's government. | Pyongyang has upped the ante in recent weeks, with leader Kim Jong Un's sister rebuffing efforts towards reconciliation made by Lee's government. |
The incident took place amid continuing work by North Korea since last year to permanently seal its border with the South. | The incident took place amid continuing work by North Korea since last year to permanently seal its border with the South. |
A strip of no-man's land called the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) separates the north and south, with intrusions often increasing tensions. The DMZ border is not fenced and the signposts are obscured by dense vegetation. | A strip of no-man's land called the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) separates the north and south, with intrusions often increasing tensions. The DMZ border is not fenced and the signposts are obscured by dense vegetation. |
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement that some North Korean troops working in the border region crossed the military demarcation line between the two countries at about 15:00 local time in Seoul on Tuesday (07:00 BST). | South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement that some North Korean troops working in the border region crossed the military demarcation line between the two countries at about 15:00 local time in Seoul on Tuesday (07:00 BST). |
The soldiers later moved back to the north of the line, the JCS added. | The soldiers later moved back to the north of the line, the JCS added. |
North Korean Army Lt Gen Ko Jong Chol said Seoul's military used a machine gun to fire more than 10 warning shots towards its soldiers, according to state media. | North Korean Army Lt Gen Ko Jong Chol said Seoul's military used a machine gun to fire more than 10 warning shots towards its soldiers, according to state media. |
"This is a very serious prelude that would inevitably drive the situation in the southern border area where a huge number of forces are stationing in confrontation with each other to the uncontrollable phase," state media said he added. | "This is a very serious prelude that would inevitably drive the situation in the southern border area where a huge number of forces are stationing in confrontation with each other to the uncontrollable phase," state media said he added. |
Pyongyang has been dismissive of Seoul despite the June election victory of Lee, who had campaigned on improving inter-Korean ties. | Pyongyang has been dismissive of Seoul despite the June election victory of Lee, who had campaigned on improving inter-Korean ties. |
South Korea's military said later that month that it had suspended its loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts across the border to North Korea, as part of a bid to "restore trust" between the two sides. | South Korea's military said later that month that it had suspended its loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts across the border to North Korea, as part of a bid to "restore trust" between the two sides. |
Pyongyang considers the loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts an act of war and has threatened to blow them up in the past. | Pyongyang considers the loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts an act of war and has threatened to blow them up in the past. |
The two Koreas have been divided since the Korean War ended in 1953. | The two Koreas have been divided since the Korean War ended in 1953. |
They did not sign a peace treaty and therefore have remained technically still at war ever since, although it has been years since either side shelled the other. | They did not sign a peace treaty and therefore have remained technically still at war ever since, although it has been years since either side shelled the other. |
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