BBC: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
South Korea has confirmed it fired warning shots earlier in the week at North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the heavily-fortified border between the two countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
North Korean state media called the shots a “deliberate provocation” and Pyongyang has accused Seoul of risking “uncontrollable” tensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The incident was made public as new South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed Seoul on Saturday for a visit to Tokyo and Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pyongyang has upped the ante in recent weeks, with leader Kim Jong Un’s sister rebuffing efforts towards reconciliation made by Lee’s government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The incident took place amid continuing work by North Korea since last year to permanently seal its border with the South.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A strip of no-man’s land called the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) separates the north and south, with intrusions often increasing tensions<\/a>. The DMZ border is not fenced and the signposts are obscured by dense vegetation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement that some North Korean troops working in the border region crossed the military demarcation line between the two countries at about 15:00 local time in Seoul on Tuesday (07:00 BST).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The soldiers later moved back to the north of the line, the JCS added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n North Korean Army Lt Gen Ko Jong Chol said Seoul’s military used a machine gun to fire more than 10 warning shots towards its soldiers, according to state media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “This is a very serious prelude that would inevitably drive the situation in the southern border area where a huge number of forces are stationing in confrontation with each other to the uncontrollable phase,” state media said he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pyongyang has been dismissive of Seoul despite the June election victory of Lee,<\/a> who had campaigned on improving inter-Korean ties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n