SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s military fired warning shots on Tuesday after North Korean soldiers crossed the military demarcation line near the border, the country’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.
About 20 to 30 soldiers broke the line by 20 meters (65 feet) inside the demilitarized zone on Tuesday morning and briefly retreated north after warning shots were fired by the South, a JCS official said.
The JCS does not believe the breach was intentional, Yonhap news agency reported.
North Korean soldiers also suffered several casualties during their work due to the explosion of landmines in the demilitarized zone, the JCS official told the press.
The North Korean military has carried out several activities along the frontline, including deploying soldiers and planting landmines, the JCS official added.
Such activities appeared to be part of efforts to tighten border control and prevent North Koreans from defecting to the South, the official said.
“The South Korean military is closely monitoring the activities of the North Korean military in the frontline area and is working closely with the UN Command,” the official said in a statement.
According to the two countries, the incident came as Russian President Vladimir Putin visits North Korea for the first time in 24 years on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Last week, the South Korean military fired warning shots after about two dozen North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the border, Seoul officials said.
(Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Michael Perry)
