South Korea fires warning shots at North Korean troops crossing border

August 23, 2025

South Korean defense officials announced today that they fired warning shots at North Korean troops crossing the border. The incident, which occurred around 4 a.m. local time, involved a small group of North Korean soldiers who attempted to cross the militarized border separating the two nations. Responding to the incident, South Korea's President stated that the government would take a firm stance against any attempts to disrupt peace and stability along the border. The incident is just the latest in a series of escalations between the two nations, and the U.N. has called for a meeting to address the situation.

North Korea's Response

Later in the day, North Korea's government released a statement regarding the incident, claiming that the soldiers had inadvertently crossed the border due to dense fog and challenging the account provided by the South Korean military. Pyongyang argued that the South Korean soldiers fired shots without issuing any prior warnings, and called for urgent diplomatic talks to resolve the escalating tensions.