South Korea Fires Warning Shots As North Korean Troops Breach Demilitarized Zone

South Korea’s military reported that early Tuesday morning, 20 to 30 North Korean soldiers crossed the border into the central part of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). In response, South Korean forces fired warning shots around 8:30 am local time, according to Yonhap News Agency, citing the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The North Korean soldiers quickly retreated after the warning shots, suggesting the crossing was likely unintentional. A similar incident occurred just over a week ago in the same DMZ sector.

Additionally, South Korean military officials reported recent landmine explosions near the border that injured or killed several North Korean soldiers, though the exact timing of these incidents was not specified. The DMZ is one of the world’s most heavily militarized borders, fortified with mines and defensive structures, as noted by Yonhap News Agency.

“Numerous casualties have resulted from multiple landmine explosions in the frontline area,” the JCS stated during a briefing.

Last November, North Korea nullified a 2018 military agreement with South Korea and increased its troop presence along the border. This move followed South Korea’s suspension of parts of the agreement in response to North Korea’s launch of its first military reconnaissance satellite, as reported by Al Jazeera. Since then, heightened military activity has been observed, with North Korea fortifying the border by removing infrastructure, installing anti-tank barriers, and laying additional mines to create a more secure buffer zone.

This latest border incident coincides with preparations by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to host Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang, underscoring the deepening ties between the two countries. In a letter published in Rodong Sinmun, North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party newspaper, Putin emphasized the strong bilateral relations and their joint efforts to establish alternative trade mechanisms free from Western control and promote a framework of equal security in Eurasia, Al Jazeera reported. Putin and Kim last met in eastern Russia in September last year, continuing discussions aimed at bolstering diplomatic and strategic cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.