Overview

• South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said troops fired warning shots on Aug. 19 after North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the Military Demarcation Line in the central sector, and the intruders withdrew without incident.
• North Korean Lt. Gen. Ko Jong-chol said South Korean forces fired more than 10 rounds from a 12.7 mm machine gun at personnel conducting a “permanent barrier” project near the border.
• Ko said the North notified U.S. forces in South Korea about the barrier work on June 25 and July 18 to reduce the risk of accidental clashes.
• The KPA warned it would treat any interference with the project as a deliberate provocation and vowed “corresponding countermeasures,” adding it would not be responsible for “grave consequences” if prior notices are ignored.
• The episode coincided with the Ulchi Freedom Shield drills, and Seoul said it issued audio warnings before firing and later confirmed the shooting after initially withholding public notice.