North Korea exchanges fire with South Korean ships at sea border

Seoul – Armed Forces of South Korea Warning shots were fired at a ship North Korea On Monday, the 24th, after the ship was deemed to have crossed the disputed maritime border between the two nations, prompting the North to return warning shots.

A North Korean merchant ship reportedly crossed the so-called Northern Border Line near Baengnyeong Island at 3:42 a.m. (5:42 p.m. GMT Sunday), but retreated north after firing from the navy in Seoul, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. . Korea in a statement.

“North Korea’s continued provocations and reckless statements undermine peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the international community.”

The North Korean military accused a South Korean military ship of “invading” the actual border 2.5-5 kilometers after a few minutes, prompting 10 warning shots in response.

“Coastal defense units on the Western Front (…) adopted an initial countermeasure to forcibly take out the enemy warship by launching 10 multiple rocket launchers towards territorial waters where hostile naval movement was detected,” a spokesperson for the North Korean General Staff said in a statement.

“Once again, we strongly warn the enemies who carried out naval provocations, in addition to artillery fire and loudspeaker broadcasts across the border,” the North Korean source added.

The maritime boundary between the two Koreas was not determined by the armistice of 1953 which ended korean war. The area is considered a flashpoint and has been the scene of several clashes over the years.

Tensions have risen in recent weeks with several missile and artillery fire by North Korea, which were seen as a provocation by South Korea and Japan.

Pyongyang has significantly increased military exercises in recent months, while Seoul and Washington say the North Korean leader’s regime Kim Jong-un On the verge of carrying out the seventh nuclear test in the country.

Monday’s exchange of warnings came on the day US Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman is visiting Japan It participates in a tripartite meeting with Tokyo and Seoul, in an expression of unity in front of Pyongyang.

A few weeks ago, North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile and several artillery shells and sent fighter jets across the border with the South in a show of force. Pyongyang described the exercises as a “tactical nuclear” exercise.

With negotiations stalled, inter-Korean relations are at one of the most complex points in many years. Kim declared in September that his country was an “irreversible” nuclear power, jeopardizing any negotiations over North Korea’s nuclear program./ France Press agency