ROK military fires warning shots after DPRK troops cross military demarcation line

SEOUL -- The Republic of Korea (ROK) military fired warning shots after several soldiers of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) crossed the military demarcation line (MDL) earlier this week, Yonhap News Agency reported Sunday, citing a ROK government source.

The incident marked the first time this year that the ROK military has fired warning shots in response to a DPRK military crossing of the MDL, the report said.

Earlier this week, several DPRK soldiers crossed the MDL in the eastern part of the Korean Peninsula, and the ROK troops fired warning shots in accordance with operational procedures, according to the report. The DPRK soldiers subsequently withdrew to the northern side of the MDL, and no other unusual activity was reported.

Following the DPRK's declaration in late 2023 that inter-Korean relations had become relations between "two states hostile to each other," DPRK troops stepped up efforts in 2024 and 2025 to fortify the border area around the MDL, said the report, adding that during the process, DPRK troops crossed the MDL on multiple occasions, with 17 such incidents reported last year.

Under the ROK military's rules of engagement, troops first issue warning broadcasts when DPRK soldiers show signs of approaching or attempting to cross the MDL. Once the MDL is crossed, the ROK troops fire warning shots and take measures to push the DPRK soldiers back, the report added.

The DPRK side has not yet commented on the incident.