North Korea has accused South Korea of a 'premeditated and deliberate provocation' after warning shots were fired at its soldiers who briefly crossed the heavily fortified border. The incident occurred on Tuesday in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), prompting South Korea's military to fire warning shots, according to Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Pyongyang's state media quoted Lt Gen Ko Jong Chol as saying the incident happened as North Korean soldiers worked to permanently seal the frontier. Ko warned that the situation could become 'uncontrollable' and that the North's army would retaliate against any interference with its border sealing efforts.
South Korea's new leader, Lee Jae Myung, who took office in June, has sought warmer ties with the nuclear-armed North and pledged to build 'military trust'. However, Pyongyang has shown little interest in improving relations, with Kim Jong Un's sister recently stating that Seoul 'cannot be a diplomatic partner'.
Despite Lee's conciliatory stance, South Korea and the US began annual joint military exercises on Monday, which North Korea condemns as rehearsals for invasion. Kim Jong Un has called for the 'rapid expansion' of the North's nuclear capabilities, citing these drills as a potential trigger for war.
