SEOUL: North Korea has accused South Korean troops of firing warning shots near their heavily fortified border this week.
State media outlet KCNA reported the incident occurred on Tuesday as North Korean soldiers worked to permanently seal the border.
Army Lieutenant General Ko Jong Chol called the shooting a serious provocation that risked raising tensions to uncontrollable levels.
“This is a very serious prelude that would inevitably drive the situation in the southern border area where a huge number of forces are stationing in confrontation with each other to the uncontrollable phase,” Ko said.
South Korea’s military has not immediately confirmed the encounter described by North Korean authorities.
The last border clash between the two rivals occurred in early April when South Korea fired warning shots after North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the demarcation line.
North Korea’s army announced last October it was moving to totally shut off the southern border to prevent accidental conflict.
Ko warned that North Korea would retaliate against any interference with its border sealing efforts.
“If the act of restraining or obstructing the project unrelated to the military character persists, our army will regard it as deliberate military provocation and take corresponding countermeasure,” he said.
Both nations have recently engaged in non-violent border clashes including balloon campaigns and loudspeaker broadcasts.
South Korea previously activated border loudspeakers for the first time in six years, broadcasting K-pop and international news.
North Korea responded by transmitting strange sounds along the frontier, unsettling South Korean residents living near the border. – AFP
