North Korea on Saturday described South Korea’s firing as a “serious provocation” while warning its troops along the border. Ko Jong Chol, the vice chief of staff of the North Korean People’s Army, said South Korea and the US were conducting maritime military exercises when the firing took place on Tuesday. He accused South Korea of deliberately escalating tensions.
Shortly after Ko Jong Chol’s statement, South Korea’s military said it fired warning shots on Tuesday afternoon after North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the border while carrying out unidentified construction work. The South Korean military said the soldiers returned to North Korean territory. The military said there were no incidents during the incident and North Korea did not fire back.
North Korean soldiers are building anti-tank barriers to strengthen border security amid rising tensions. Apart from this, they are also doing other tasks including laying landmines. Ko said in a statement, “As the commanding officer responsible for the management and security of the southern border, I strongly demand that it (South Korea) immediately stop the dangerous provocation. It wants to increase tension under the pretext of the fortification project on the southern border. This project is necessary to protect our sovereignty.”