2023-04-18 17:06 UTC

South Korea's military has fired warning shots at a patrol vessel from North Korea a few days after Kim Jong Un reportedly oversaw a missile test

South Korea & North Korea displayed on ShipXplorer.com

Amidst heightened tensions over Kim Jong Un's recent missile test, South Korea's military fired warning shots at a North Korean patrol vessel on Saturday (15) at around 11 am local time. The incident occurred just two days after Pyongyang launched the new Hwasong-18 missile, causing a scare in northern Japan. South Korean forces chased the North Korean boat after temporarily crossing the disputed western sea boundary drawn by the UN in 1953.

The North Korean vessel was reportedly pursuing a Chinese fishing boat near South Korea's Baekryeong island but quickly retreated after the warning shots were fired. During the incident, poor visibility caused a collision between the South Korean high-speed vessel and the fishing boat, resulting in minor injuries to some troops on board. South Korea's joint chiefs of staff downplayed the collision and said the military would remain alert for any "potential provocations" by the North.

North Korea disputes the validity of the poorly marked sea border that triggered the incident on Saturday, asserting that it should be located further south. The border was established after the end of the Korean War in 1953, but North Korea does not recognize it. Due to its lack of clarity, several disputes have arisen as ships have mistakenly crossed the border.

Seoul has recently conducted large-scale joint military exercises with the US to deter North Korea's weapons testing program. Another exercise involving around 110 warplanes is scheduled to begin on Monday and last until 28 April.

The North Korean regime has announced that its newly tested Hwasong-18 missile, an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of targeting mainland America, will significantly enhance its nuclear counterattack capability. According to reports, Kim Jong Un oversaw this week's missile test. Since the beginning of 2022, North Korea has test-fired over 100 missiles into the sea. Despite this, the regime claims that the most recent trial did not threaten neighboring countries.