North and South Korea exchanged warning shots along their disputed western maritime border, raising fears of possible clashes.
It comes after the two countries accused each other of violating their maritime borders in the early hours of Monday morning.
South Korea claimed he had sent the warnings in a bid to repel a North Korean merchant vessel that breached the sea border, with the country’s military saying it had conducted a “normal operation” on the intrusion.
“We once again urge North Korea to immediately cease the constant provocations and accusations that harm the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula as well as the international community,” the heads of state said. Southern Joint Major.
Meanwhile, North Korea said its coastal defense units responded by firing 10 artillery rounds after “enemy naval movement was detected”.
“We have ordered initial countermeasures to vigorously expel the enemy warship,” a spokesman for the North Korean People’s Army general staff said, according to the official KCNA news agency.
Although there have been no reports of fighting between the two sides, the border off the west coast of the Korean peninsula has been a source of longstanding animosities.
The latest firefight comes amid simmering military tensions, with the North carrying out weapons testing at an unprecedented pace this year.
“Could lead to a serious firefight”
In recent weeks, North Korea has launched short-range ballistic missiles and hundreds of artillery rounds off its east and west coasts in protest against military activities by the South.
South Korean troops launched their annual defense drills last week, which include a four-day exercise using 20 warships.
The exercises aim to build the South’s military capabilities with the United States to counter nuclear and missile threats from the North.
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Experts have claimed that North Korea could expand its test series, conduct its first nuclear test in five years or launch other provocations if the South and the United States continue their combined military exercises.
“Pyongyang’s policy of blaming external threats and projecting confidence in military capabilities may motivate greater risk-taking,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.
“North Korea’s investigation of South Korea’s perimeter defenses could lead to a serious firefight and unintended escalation.”
The North has already responded angrily to the drills, calling them provocations and threatening to take countermeasures.
