Seoul says some 20 North Korean troops crossed inter-Korean border this week

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - Around 20 North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the heavily fortified inter-Korean border before retreating after South Korean forces fired warning shots earlier this week, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said on Thursday.

The soldiers crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in Paju, a border city just northwest of Seoul, on Oct. 19, Yonhap News reported.

South Korean troops monitoring the area issued multiple warning broadcasts and fired shots when the North Korean soldiers continued southward, prompting the soldiers to pull back without any significant reaction.

The JCS believes the soldiers were likely conducting border-related tasks, such as clearing land or laying mines in the buffer zone, and had crossed temporarily while working. Some of them were armed.

This incident occurred on the same day that a North Korean soldier defected across the border in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, marking the first defection since President Lee Jae Myung took office.

Military officials noted, however, that the two incidents seem unrelated due to their differing times and locations.

"Our military is closely monitoring the activities of the North Korean military and taking necessary measures in accordance with operational procedures," a military official said.