More than 10 North Korean soldiers crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas in an eastern front-line sector at approximately 5 p.m. on Apr. 8, prompting the South Korean military to issue an immediate warning broadcast followed by warning shots, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The incursion has fueled speculation that North Korea may be probing the South’s military posture amid heightened political instability following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol on Apr. 4 and the announcement of an early presidential election. The North Korean troops involved in the breach were reportedly armed.
“Our forces issued a warning broadcast and fired warning shots after detecting over 10 North Korean soldiers crossing the MDL in the eastern DMZ around 5 p.m.,” the JCS said. “The North Korean troops subsequently withdrew to their side of the border.”
The JCS added that the South Korean military “is closely monitoring the movements of North Korean forces and taking necessary measures in accordance with operational procedures.” Military authorities remain on heightened alert, taking into account the possibility of additional incursions, including the return of the same unit or a coordinated provocation along the western front intended as a diversion.
According to a military source, the North Korean soldiers who crossed the MDL on Apr. 8 were fully armed, equipped with firearms, and wearing bulletproof vests. By contrast, a similar incident in June last year involved more than 20 unarmed North Korean soldiers carrying shovels who briefly crossed the MDL in the central sector during work operations before retreating after warning shots were fired by South Korean forces.
The area where the soldiers crossed on Apr. 8 is reportedly a zone where North Korea does not normally carry out land-clearing or field operations.
