North Korea claims South Korea fired warning shots at border region

North Korea claimed on Saturday that the South Korean military had fired warning shots in the border region between the two Koreas on Tuesday. It called this a deliberate provocation, according to the state-run media KCNA.

North Korea said the South Korean military was increasing their warning broadcasts in the border area.

North Korea has been destroying inter-Korean railways and roads since last year. It also built barriers along the heavily fortified border that separates the two Koreas.

North Korea "will take corresponding countermeasures" for any obstructions to the barrier-building project and "take no liability for the grave consequences", if in future advanced warnings in the border region are ignored, KCNA reported, citing a declaration by Army Lieutenant General Ko Jong Chol. Vice Chief of General Staff of North Korean Army.

The North Korean message contradicts the South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's announcement last week that his country will cease some military activities on its border with North Korea. This is just the latest effort by his government to improve relations between neighbours who are still technically at war.

In a separate KCNA article on Saturday, North Korea again criticised ongoing joint military exercises by the U.S.

The U.S., South Korea and other countries have claimed that the drills were defensive. (Reporting and editing by Les Adler, Diane Craft and Joyce Lee)

(source: Reuters)