SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean troops fired warning shots early on Friday to drive away North Korean merchant ships that temporarily crossed the disputed Western Sea boundary between rival neighbors.
The ship crossed the north restriction line near Baen Nyong Island on the South Korean border island at around 5am, but retreated after South Korean troops issued audio warnings and fired warning shots, the South Korean co-chief of staff said.
There were no immediate reports of North Korean forces returning fires or responding to the troops.
The response will be carried out in accordance with operational procedures and the military remains ready to securely protect the territorial waters, the Southern chairman said.
South Korean troops frequently fired warning shots to repel North Korean patrols or commercial vessels violating its water. The inadequate Western Western Sea boundary between South Korea has been a scene of past skirmishes and attacks, including North Korean artillery fire on the South Korean island and suspected torpedoes on South Korean naval vessels.
In a fiery January 2024 speech, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said his country didn’t recognize it Yellow Sea North Restriction LineIt was portrayed by the US-led UN Command at the end of the Korean War from 1950 to 1953. North Korea claims a boundary that invades deep into South Korea’s oceans.
South Korea Replaced warning shot In 2022, after a southern navy fired fire on a North Korean merchant ship that crossed the western sea boundary.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula remain high as North Korea continues to reject calls to resume Seoul’s diplomacy. Kim accelerates his weapons program, Deepened integrity with Moscow Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
