N. Korea threatens retaliation on S. Korea

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has threatened to retaliate against South Korea if the South continues to make a military response against its patrol activities around the heavily armed inter-Korean border, the defense minister said Monday.

In a telephone message, the North denounced the South firing shots against its soldiers after warning broadcasts, claiming its activity around the military demarcation line (MDL) was just patrols, the ministry said.

The North also said it will continue to patrol around the MDL in the future.

The North's response came after its second straight provocation around the border between Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday, about 10 North Korean soldiers who were approaching the MDL near Cheolwon, a central border city of the South, returned to their side after warning shots were fired by the South's soldiers. On Sunday, other North Korean soldiers advanced toward the MDL near Paju, a city located about 40 kilometers northwest of Seoul to cause warning shots from South Korean soldiers. The North's soldiers exchanged fire with the South's soldiers before going back.

In response to the North's telephone message, the ministry said the South has fired warning shots according to a normal procedure after sending warnings against the North's military provocation on Sept. 18 and 19.

The ministry showed disappointment over the North's move to put the responsibility of the latest border clash on the South.

The ministry urged the North to establish measures to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents in the future and to cease provocations of any kind around the border.

ksnam@yna.co.kr
(END)