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5h ago

U.N. Command Says 30 North Korean Troops Crossed Border as Seoul Fired Warning Shots

Pyongyang calls the Aug. 19 incident a deliberate provocation tied to alliance drills, threatening retaliation if its barrier work is impeded.

A combination image released by KCNA on August 23 says to show firing tests of anti-aircraft missiles and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un flanked by Korean People's Army officers, at an unknown location. KCNA via REUTERS
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A South Korean watchtower is seen at the border with North Korea, divided by the Imjin River in Paju, north of Seoul, on June 5, 2025.
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Overview

  • An investigation by the U.N. Command found about 30 North Korean soldiers crossed the Military Demarcation Line despite warning broadcasts, prompting South Korean warning shots that compelled them to return.
  • South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the Aug. 19 crossing in the central DMZ and said the North’s troops withdrew without returning fire.
  • North Korea alleges the South fired more than 10 rounds from a 12.7 mm machine gun, labels the encounter a serious provocation, and warns of corresponding countermeasures if its construction is hindered.
  • Pyongyang says it notified U.S. Forces Korea on June 25 and July 18 about its ongoing project to erect a permanent barrier, part of a broader effort since 2024 to fortify the frontier.
  • The episode unfolded during the Ulchi Freedom Shield drills that North Korea denounces as aggressive, even as Seoul’s new government signals a desire to lower tensions at the border.