South Korea Fires Warning Shots at North Korean Troops

South Korean troops fired warning shots last week after a group of North Korean soldiers crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), forcing the intruders to withdraw, Yonhap News Agency reported on Sunday, citing an unnamed source.

The soldiers crossed the MDL in the eastern section of the demilitarized zone, Yonhap said, in what marked North Korea's first confirmed breach of the line this year. The report suggested the troops had likely strayed across the border while on routine patrol, adding that no further unusual activity was observed once they retreated.

North Korea's embassy in Singapore had not responded to a request for comment at the time of reporting.

According to Yonhap, North Korean forces crossed the MDL 17 times last year. The two Koreas remain technically at war, since the 1950–53 conflict ended in an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty.

(Reuters, su)