N. Korean soldiers intrude across MDL around 50 times in Aug.-Sept. period: lawmaker

Seoul, September 30 (Yonhap) - According to a lawmaker, North Korean soldiers crossed the heavily secured border between the two Koreas approximately 50 times during the months of August and September, a defense ministry spokesperson confirmed to Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the opposition People Power Party. The soldiers allegedly entered South Korean territory around 20 times in August and roughly 30 times in September.

In response to these incursions, South Korea's military issued warning broadcasts and fired warning shots, causing the North Korean soldiers to retreat. Earlier, South Korea held North Korea responsible for a land mine explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) which injured their troops, demanding an apology and corrective actions from Pyongyang.

The South Korean military made this statement shortly after North Korea denied involvement in the mine blast on September 21, dismissing Seoul's claims as a "groundless" conspiracy. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) stated that the mine blast, caused by mines planted by the North, is a violation of the Armistice Agreement that ended the Korean War, and urged Pyongyang to cease all border fortification activities immediately.