SEOUL: South Korea’s military proposed on Monday talks with the North to avoid border clashes, citing recent incursions by North Korean troops.
“To prevent accidental clashes and ease military tensions, our military officially proposes that the two sides hold inter-Korean military talks to discuss the establishment of a clear reference line for the MDL,” Kim Hong-cheol, deputy minister for national defense policy, told a news briefing, referring to the military demarcation line on the border.
Kim said there had been repeated crossings of the demarcation line by North Korean soldiers “while installing tactical roads, fences, and laying mines.”
South Korean troops fired warning shots and issued broadcasts to encourage the North Koreans to withdraw to their side, he said.
Kim said the recent incursions came about because of “the loss of many MDL markers” that were installed under the 1953 Armistice Agreement that brought a halt to the Korean War.
