A South Korean soldier accidentally discharged a machine gun at a frontline guard post inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) earlier this week, the military said on April 27.
The incident occurred around 6 a.m. on April 23 at a guard post in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province. According to military officials, a soldier carrying out a weapons inspection fired a live round from a K6 heavy machine gun.
The round penetrated a 1-centimeter-thick protective door, typically kept closed, and traveled toward North Korea. The military believes it lost momentum after passing through the door and landed within South Korean territory.
An initial investigation points to mishandling during the inspection as the likely cause.
The military broadcast an explanatory message to the North immediately after the incident to avoid misunderstandings that could escalate tensions.
“No unusual activity has been observed on the North Korean side,” a military official said.
The military acknowledged the incident only after it was reported by local media.
Accidental shootings at DMZ guard posts have occurred previously, including in January 2023, 2017, and 2016.
