Seoul (EFE).- This week’s incident in which South Korea fired warning shots along the inter-Korean border was triggered by around 30 North Korean soldiers crossing the territorial boundary and despite warnings, the United Nations Command (UNC) said Sunday.
A spokesperson for the US-led organization made the remarks in response to a question from the South Korean news agency Yonhap, following an investigation and a day after North Korea criticized the South for firing more than 10 warning shots at North Korean troops who were working on a project to reinforce their border.
Pyongyang called the incident «a serious provocation» and «a very serious prelude» to a phase of «uncontrollable» confrontation.
«The UNCMAC (UNC Military Armistice Commission) investigation team confirmed that the around 30 members of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in an area where they have been conducting construction and maintenance activities,» the spokesperson said via email.
According to the official, South Korean forces issued several warning broadcasts to North Korean troops to notify them of the intrusion over the MDL, but received no response, so they fired warning shots in a designated area to force them back to the northern side.
Following the incident, which occurred on Tuesday, the commission launched an investigation into the case.
Lt. Gen. Ko Jong-chol, vice chief of the KPA General Staff, criticized the incident on Saturday, saying the shots were fired despite Pyongyang having notified the Command in advance of its plans to fortify the border barrier.
«UNC recognizes the value of prior notifications and dialogue in mitigating the risk of misinterpretation and accidental incidents,» the spokesperson said, according to KCNA.
«We remain ready to engage KPA counterparts on this and other potential issue areas related to our standing agreements.»
The North Korean border project dates back to 2023, when leader Kim Jong-un declared inter-Korean relations as one between «two hostile states.» EFE
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