North Korea calls South Korea’s warning shots in border region a provocation

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SEOUL - North Korea said on Aug 23 that the South Korean military fired warning shots on Aug 19 in the border area between the two Koreas, and called it a deliberate provocation, according to state media KCNA.

North Korea also said that warning broadcasts from the South Korean military in the border region were increasing.

Since 2024, North Korea has been building barriers in the heavily fortified border between the two Koreas, while blowing up inter-Korean roads and railways.

North Korea will “take corresponding countermeasure” for any obstruction to the barrier building project, and “take no responsibility for the grave consequences” if advanced warning in the border area is ignored in the future, KCNA said, citing a statement by Army Lieutenant General Ko Jong Chol, vice chief of the General Staff of the North Korean army.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that at around 3 pm Seoul time on Aug 19, some North Korean soldiers working in the border region crossed the military demarcation line between the two Koreas and the South Korean military fired warning shots, with North Korean troops later moving back north of the line.

The JCS did not elaborate further.

North Korea’s message is at odds with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung saying last week that it will end some military activities along its border with North Korea, in his government’s latest in a string of efforts to improve ties between the neighbours still technically at war.

North Korea also criticised again ongoing

joint military drills by the US and South Korea