Kim Jong-un, North Korea's state affairs leader, has pushed forward with his "hostile two states" policy, leading the North Korean military to carry out fortification work along the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). Amid these activities, armed North Korean troops have reportedly crossed the MDL multiple times this month.
Concerns raised both inside and outside the military are turning into reality as North Korean troops install barbed-wire fences right up against the MDL, increasing the likelihood that border security personnel could move further south.
According to reports, multiple instances of North Korean forces crossing the MDL occurred along the front-line eastern sector after mid-August.
The troops involved were all reported to be armed, setting them apart from simple work details carrying tools like pickaxes.
This leaves open the possibility that they were patrol units carrying out regular security duties.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, "Recently in the eastern sector, North Korean troops violated the Military Demarcation Line, prompting our military to conduct warning shots in accordance with operational procedures," adding, "We are closely monitoring North Korean movements and maintaining a firm military readiness posture."
The Joint Chiefs of Staff estimates that due to the rapid pace of North Korea's construction, the so-called "border-line" fortification work around the MDL could be completed as early as around 2028.
If these movements observed in the eastern sector expand across the entire front, there is also the possibility that North Korean security personnel could move down in large numbers near the MDL after the fortification work is finished.
Under the South Korean military's operational procedures, warning shots are to be fired if North Korean troops cross the MDL.
If they continue to advance southward by more than 50 meters even after warning shots, targeted firing is permitted in principle.
Concerns are rising that if North Korean patrols and security activities become routine near the MDL, our military's warning shots will also become more frequent, increasing the risk that a minor misjudgment or error could escalate into an armed clash.
(Reported by Jung Da-eun | Video by Lee Da-in | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News)
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