South Korea Fires Warning Shots At North Korean Patrol Boat Near Maritime Border; A Spokesman From Pyongyang Calls It A ‘Serious Provocation’

The South Korean navy fired warning shots against a North Korean patrol boat located near the maritime border on Saturday, which coincided with the holding of family reunions detached by the Korean War in 1950-53.

An official from South Korea's defence department revealed that the North Korean patrol boat was forced to move back after shots were fired against them by the South Korean navy.

Reuters reported on Sunday that the unnamed defence official revealed that North Korea did not return fire after the incident. He added that the rival did not even take other measures following what happened.

According to a report by Yonhap News Agency on the same day, five warning shots were fired by the South Korean navy after its rival crossed the Northern Limit Line (NLL). Further reports revealed that the North Korean patrol boat reportedly crossed the maritime border between the two Koreas by hundreds of meters.

Meanwhile, a South Korean military official said the patrol boat was allegedly "cracking down on dozens of illegal Chinese fishing boats in waters near South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island, the site of a deadly bombardment by the North in 2010."

The North Korean patrol boat withdrew 18 minutes after the warning shots were fired against them. The official revealed that no injuries were reported after the incident last Saturday.

"There was no violent clash during the warning process," the South Korean official said.

On the other hand, a spokesman from North Korea reportedly said South Korea's action was a "serious provocation."

The unnamed spokesman allegedly said the incident might start military disagreement and could provoke tensions between the two Koreas.

"There will be only a war disaster, far from the improvement of the North-South relations, as long as the South Korean military warmongers go reckless," the unnamed North Korean official said, as noted by state-run news agency KCNA.

Reports revealed that this was not the first incident that the South Korean navy fired warning shots against North Korea for crossing the NLL.