Amid North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's "hostile two-states" policy and ongoing fortification efforts by the North Korean military along the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), armed North Korean troops have reportedly crossed the MDL several times this month.

Concerns raised inside and outside the military that North Korean fortification work, including laying barbed-wire fences right up against the MDL, could lead to guard forces moving southward are now becoming a reality.

It has been reported that multiple cases of North Korean troops crossing the MDL occurred along the frontline eastern sector since mid-this month.

The troops in question were all fully armed, differing from simple work details carrying items like pickaxes.

This leaves open the possibility that they were patrol units carrying out regular guard 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 assess that due to the rapid pace of North Korea's construction, the so-called "border-ization" work along the MDL could be completed as early as around 2028.

If the movements observed in the eastern sector expand across the entire front, there is also a possibility that North Korean guard forces could descend en masse near the MDL after completing fortification work.

Our military's operational procedures dictate that warning shots should be fired if North Korean troops cross the MDL.

In principle, aimed fire is also permissible if they move 50 meters or more further south even after warning shots.

Concerns are rising that if North Korean patrol and guard activities become routine near the MDL, our military's warning shots will become more frequent, increasing the likelihood that a minor miscalculation 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