On the 9th, 18th, and again on the 20th, MDL was breached
Military conducted warning shots, causing immediate retreat
Work continued despite casualties from landmine accidents
North Korean troops have once again crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).
According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the 21st, several North Korean soldiers working inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the central front crossed about 20 meters over the MDL around 11 a.m. the previous day. In response, our military issued warning broadcasts and warning shots, after which the North Korean troops immediately moved northward.
Even after moving northward, these North Korean soldiers did not retreat far and continued their work just above the MDL, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff reportedly kept monitoring the situation. At the time of the MDL breach by the North Korean troops, hundreds of personnel were working over several kilometers on the northern side.
This is the third time this month that North Korean troops have crossed the MDL. On the 9th, 20 to 30 North Korean soldiers working inside the DMZ on the central front crossed within 50 meters of the MDL but retreated after warning shots from our military. On the 18th, dozens of North Korean soldiers crossed about 20 meters over the MDL on the central front but moved northward after warning shots.
Although North Korean troops repeatedly cross the MDL, the Joint Chiefs of Staff judge these as 'simple incursions' by work personnel since they immediately move northward after warning shots. Among the personnel carrying sickles and pickaxes, there were also armed guard troops, but the military authorities explained that these guards were watching the work personnel, not the southern side.
The area where North Korean troops repeatedly cross is densely overgrown, making the MDL markers unclear. If the North Korean troops intend to plant landmines here, they first need to clear the vegetation and turn the area into wasteland, so it is possible they crossed the MDL during preliminary work for this. Recently, North Korean troops have been conducting various operations in about ten locations within the DMZ, including landmine planting, creating wasteland to enhance surveillance capabilities, and reinforcing tactical roads. It is understood that dozens to hundreds of personnel are mobilized at each site. Military authorities have identified that despite multiple landmine explosion accidents causing numerous casualties during these frontline operations, the work is being pushed forward recklessly.
A military official stated, "North Korea is conducting such operations in multiple locations within the DMZ, so similar situations are expected to occur frequently in the future," adding, "We are responding firmly in principle."
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