DPRK warns of escalation after South Korean warning shots at DMZ
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The DPRK condemned South Korea’s warning shots at its soldiers as a "deliberate provocation," warning the border situation could spiral into an "uncontrollable phase."
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A DPRK military guard post, located at the top right, a loudspeaker, and a South Korean military guard post, located at the bottom, are seen from Paju, South Korea, near the border with the DPRK, on August 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) warned on Saturday that tensions along the inter-Korean border could escalate into an "uncontrollable phase" following what it described as a “premeditated and deliberate provocation” by South Korea.
The statement, issued by Lt. Gen. Ko Jong Chol and published by the DPRK’s state media, came after Seoul acknowledged that its forces had fired more than 10 warning shots at DPRK soldiers who reportedly briefly crossed the Military Demarcation Line in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) earlier this week.
Ko asserted that the DPRK soldiers were engaged in routine maintenance work when South Korea opened fire using a machine gun, accusing Seoul of escalating the situation intentionally.
"This is a very serious prelude that would inevitably drive the situation in the southern border area... to the uncontrollable phase," he warned, adding that any interference with efforts to permanently seal the border would be met with retaliation.
DPRK: Soldiers were sealing border
The incident took place on Tuesday in the heavily mined DMZ. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the presence of DPRK soldiers south of the de facto border and said its military responded with warning shots, after which the DPRK personnel withdrew.
Pyongyang reiterated that it is working to seal the border dividing the Korean Peninsula, a policy it began enforcing last year by demolishing disused but symbolic inter-Korean infrastructure. A similar incident occurred in April when about 10 DPRK troops briefly crossed the line, also prompting warning fire from the South.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who took office in June, has promised a more diplomatic approach toward the North, including efforts to build “military trust” and pursue dialogue without preconditions. However, DPRK leadership has rejected this outreach, stating that Seoul "cannot be a diplomatic partner," and characterizing Lee as “not the sort of man who will change the course of history.”
Tensions remain high as South Korea and the US launched annual joint military exercises on Monday. While Lee insisted the drills are "defensive" and "not intended to heighten tensions," Pyongyang sees them as hostile maneuvers.
