Landmines exploded

North Korean soldiers cross border: injured

The South Korean Ministry of Defense published this image on Tuesday. It shows North Korean soldiers working at an unknown location near the heavily fortified border.(Bild: APA/AFP/South Korean Defence Ministry/Handout)

Shock in South Korea: dozens of North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the border to the South - only warning shots were able to persuade them to turn back. As if that wasn't enough, several soldiers of the Pyongyang regime were also wounded by a landmine.

North Korean soldiers had set off in the direction of their neighbor to the south, crossing the infamous "military demarcation line" between the two hostile states, the Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday, citing the General Staff of the South Korean army. According to the report, the South Korean army fired warning shots. This was the second border crossing in two weeks.

Several North Korean soldiers were also injured in the explosion of a landmine near the heavily fortified border, Yonhap further reported. The incident occurred while the soldiers were laying mines along the border.

North Korean soldiers at work on the border(Bild: APA/AFP/South Korean Defence Ministry/Handout)

A North Korean (above) and a South Korean military post (below) near the border(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Still astate of war
North and South Korea have formally remained in a state of war since the end of the Korean War. The two countries are separated by a demilitarized zone about four kilometers wide. The demarcation line runs through the middle of this strip, which is riddled with mines.

Relations at a low point
Relations between the two countries are currently at a low point. North Korea's ruler Kim Jong Un announced his intention to expand the development of weapons - including tactical nuclear weapons. In response, South Korea and the USA stepped up their defense cooperation.