North, South Korea Exchange Gunfire over Border
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Jumat, 19 Oktober 2018 18:56 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - North and South Korea exchanged gunfire over ten minutes over their heavily guarded land border. No injuries were reported.
“North Korean troops approached the demarcation line separating the two sides, prompting South Korean soldiers to fire warning shots,” said a South Korean official as reported by BBC News on Sunday.
North Korea’s motive behind its action was unclear. The shootout has further intensified the relations between both countries.
Last week, military officers from both sides met at a village on border region to ease tension, but the meeting was fruitless.
On October 10, North Korean troops fired at balloons carrying leaflets denouncing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, prompting South Korea to return fire.
Earlier in October, North and South Korean ships exchanged warning shots after a North Korean patrol boat crossed a disputed maritime border at Yeonpyeong.
The two Koreas have been in conflict since the Korean War in 1950-1953. Both countries agreed to an armistice, but not a peace treaty.
RINDU P. HESTYA