North Korean troops breach border into South Korea, around 30 involved

Yonhap reports that around 30 North Korean soldiers crossed the border, prompting warning shots from the South Korean side.

At this time, it is unknown whether there are any casualties or injuries resulting from the shooting.

Recently, North Korea accused South Korea of provoking an incident at the border, referring to the situation in which North Korean soldiers crossed the joint boundary. North Korean forces claimed that the South Korean military fired more than 10 machine-gun rounds at DPRK soldiers this week. The South Korean military was reportedly constructing a barrier intended to permanently block the border.

This is not the first time North Korean forces have crossed into South Korea. The last incident occurred in April of this year.

South Korea has stated its intention to restore an agreement that would suspend military activities along the border with North Korea. However, experts believe that Pyongyang may ignore or even condemn this proposal.

What is known about the conflict between the countries

The conflict between South Korea and North Korea has persisted since the mid-20th century and has its roots in events following World War II.

In 1945, Korea, which had been under Japanese occupation, was divided along the 38th parallel: a communist regime influenced by the USSR was established in the north, while a pro-American government formed in the south.

This confrontation led to the Korean War of 1950–1953, which ended with an armistice, but no formal peace treaty. Since then, the countries have officially remained in a state of war.

Although there have been periodic attempts to establish dialogue, significant rapprochement has not occurred. The main obstacles remain North Korea’s nuclear program, joint military exercises between South Korea and the US, and deep ideological differences.

In June 2024, North Korea sent balloons carrying trash to South Korea.