Two armed North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the inter-Korean border last week while pursuing a defector who had fled south across the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), Seoul’s defense ministry confirmed to NK News on Friday.

The defection occurred on Oct. 19 along the central section of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), where South Korean forces “took custody of a North Korean soldier,” marking the first known military defection since President Lee Jae-myung took office in June.

“The military identified the individual near the MDL and guided him to safety through standard operational procedures,” the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said at the time, adding that authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding his crossing.

On Friday, Seoul’s defense ministry later corroborated reports that two armed North Korean soldiers — believed to be part of a pursuit unit — advanced about 200 meters south of the MDL toward a South Korean guard post.

South Korean troops issued warning broadcasts and fired warning shots in accordance with procedure, after which the North Korean soldiers retreated.

“Our forces respond firmly and in accordance with established procedures to any violations of the Armistice Agreement within the DMZ,” the ministry told NK News on Thursday.

The new confirmation contrasts with the JCS’s earlier statement on Oct. 19 claiming that “no unusual movements by North Korean forces had been detected.”

Trespassing and warning shots are not a rarity in the DMZ separating the two Koreas, with several such incidents reported in the heavily fortified area this year.

Last week’s incident comes months after a group of North Korean soldiers conducting “fortification work” briefly crossed the MDL, prompting South Korean troops to open warning fire and force them back. Pyongyang later condemned that exchange as a “grave provocation,” accusing the South of using heavy machine guns to fire more than ten warning rounds. 

Seoul later confirmed the incident, while the U.N. Command reportedly assessed that some 30 North Korean servicemen had crossed the MDL.

U.S.-ROK FREEDOM FLAG EXERCISE DELAYED

Meanwhile on Thursday, South Korea’s air force confirmed that the duration of this year’s Freedom Flag joint air exercise with the U.S. has been cut in half due to preparations for next week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju.

The air force said in a statement that the annual drill will begin on Oct. 27, but that the combined phase of the exercise will take place only after the APEC summit concludes. 

“To maintain military readiness during the APEC summit, the combined training will be conducted intensively for one week after the event,” the air force explained.

According to the statement, the first week of the Freedom Flag drill will consist of U.S.-only training, followed by combined U.S.-ROK drills from Nov. 3 to 7, excluding the weekend. The air force said it had coordinated with the U.S. side to find a two-week window for the exercise but ultimately agreed to shorten it due to American scheduling constraints. 

“The scale of participating assets will be similar to previous years,” the statement said, adding that both air forces “remain committed to enhancing combined operational capabilities.”

During the most recent Freedom Flag exercise from April 17 to May 2, approximately 90 South Korean and U.S. aircraft carried out missions including air interdiction, defensive counterair operations, close air support, and combat search and rescue, aimed at strengthening wartime procedures and sustaining operational readiness.

Edited by Alannah Hill